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V 


t 


CONTENTS 


6 s?  4.  99  3 

Sch»«]  <*f  Forestry 


Page. 

Foreword,  3 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission,  Roster  of, 5 

Letter  of  Transmittal  from  the  Commission  to  the  Governor,  7 

General  Manager's  Report,  11 

General  Superintendent’s  Report,  19 

Field  Work  in  the  Western  District,  21 

Field  Work  in  the  Eastern  District,  30 

Tabular  Statement  of  Field  Work,  35 

Pathological  Investigations 40 

Field  Investigations  in  Pathology,  42 

Physiologist’s  Report,  45 

Investigations  of  Insects  Associated  with  the  Blight,  48 

Chemist’s  Report,  49 

Tree  Surgeon’s  Report,  51 

Geographer’s  Report,  52 

Forester’s  Report  upon  Utilization,  54 

Demonstration  Work,  59 

Silvicultural  Effect  of  the  Chestnut  Blight 61 

Regulations  Governing  Trees  Infected  with  Chestnut  Blight 63 

Financial  Statement,  67 


(1) 


(2) 


FOREWORD. 

It  is  only  within  recent  years  that  the  possibility  of  a serious  tim- 
ber famine  has  confronted  the  American  people,  and  as  a result  many 
if  the  friends  of  forestry  and  forest  conservation  are  thoroughly 
iwake  to  the  absolute  necessity  of  action  in  the  various  channels 
hat  will  tend  towards  remedying  the  threatened  crisis. 

A comparison  of  the  present  market  quotations  of  lumber  with 
hose  in  force  only  a few  years  ago  will  form  its  own  commentary. 
Chose  who  are  well  informed  upon  the  gradual,  but  certain  advancing 
mlues  of  commercial  lumber  declare  that  it  would  cost  fully  thirty- 
hree  and  one  third  per  cent,  more  to-day  to  buy  certain  grades  of 
lemlock  and  other  common  varieties  of  lumber  than  the  same  class 
If  material  would  have  cost  less  than  five  years  ago.  The  price  of 
he  high-grade,  seasoned  hard-wood  lumber  and  building  material 
ns  been  increased  at  a much  higher  percentage,  and  in  some  in- 
tances,  its  use  is  almost  prohibitory,  because  of  its  actual  scarcity, 
iigh  cost  and  prevailing  economic  conditions. 

These  are  among  the  many  potent  and  excellent  reasons  why  Penn- 
'ylvania’s  exceedingly  valuable  chestnut  timber  should  be  saved  from 
otal  extermination  by  the  chestnut  tree  bark  disease,  which  has 
aused  such  great  loss  in  some  of  the  eastern  counties  of  the  Com- 
aonwealth.  The  accompanying  report  presents  the  situation  in  de- 
ail,  and  the  reader  cannot  fail  to  become  interested  in  this  economic 
roblem  which  means  so  much  to  all  the  people  of  the  Commonwealth 
dio  are  interested  in  the  protection  and  preservation  of  its  natural 
^sources. 


(3) 


4050^0 


(4) 


Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission 


MEMBERS  OF  COMMISSION. 


inihrop  Sargent,  Chairman,  Bryn  Maivr. 

irold  Peirce,  Secretary Haverford. 

muel  T.  Bodine,  Villa  Nova. 

orge  F.  Craig,  Rosemont. 

eodore  N.  Ely,  Bryn  Mawr. 


EXECUTIVE  STAFF. 

irk  Alfred  Carleton,  General  Manager. 

muel  B.  Detwiler,  General  Superintendent. 

ver  D.  Scliock,  Assistant  to  General  Superintendent. 

iomas  E.  Francis,  Field  Manager,  Western  District. 

sepli  R.  Wilson,  Field  Manager,  Eastern  District. 

■vid  T.  McCampbell,  Chief  Clerk. 


in  C.  Williams,  (Pennsylvania  State  Forestry  Department)  Collaborator. 


SCIENTIFIC  AND  OPERATIVE  STAFF. 

derick  D.  Heald,  Pathologist. 

G.  Ruggles,  Entomologist. 

P.  Wentling,  Forester  in  charge  of  Utilization, 
il  J.  Anderson,  Field  Pathologist. 

P.  Gulliver,  Geographer. 

oline  Rumbold,  Physiologist  in  charge  of  Tree  Medication, 
eph  Slirawder,  Chemist. 

’ G.  Pierce,  Tree  Surgeon. 

ler  E.  Rockey,  Forester  in  charge  of  Demonstration  Work. 


(5) 


(6) 


7 


THE  COMMISSION  FOE  THE  INVESTIGATION  AND  CONTROL 

OF  THE  CHESTNUT  TREE  BLIGHT  DISEASE  IN  PENNSYL- 
VANIA. 

1112  MORRIS  BUILDING,  BROAD  AND  CHESTNUT  STREETS. 

Philadelphia,  January  8th , 1913. 
Hon.  John  K.  Tener,  Governor,  Harrisburg,  Penna. 

Sir:  We  have  the  honor  to  transmit  to  you  herewith  our  report 
of  the  operations  of  this  Commission  for  the  latter  half  of  the  year 
1912.  The  contents  of  the  report  may  be  very  briefly  summarized  as 
follows : 

Organization.  There  is  first,  a statement  by  the  General  Manager 
as  to  the  organization  of  the  different  lines  of  work  and  a discussion 
of  certain  special  features.  Our  forces  are  now  thoroughly  organized 
ivith  a good  staff  of  specialists  in  charge  of  each  line  of  work,  similar 
to  that  of  the  State  Experiment  Stations.  As  our  work  is  of  an  un- 
usual nature,  it  has  taken  considerable  time  and  attention  to  effect 
this  thorough  organization. 

1'ield  Operations.  Next  follows  a statement  by  the  General  Super- 
intendent of  the  essential  features  of  the  field  operations,  with  sug- 
gestions as  to  future  work.  There  have  been  many  difficulties,  par" 
ticularly  the  past  season,  apparently  on  account  of  the  unusual  rain- 
fall, but  in  spite  of  these  we  have  made  good  progress,  much  beyond 
\\diat  was  to  be  expected.  In  about  two-thirds  of  all  cleaned  locali- 
ties re-inspected,  there  has  been  no  re-occurrence  of  the  blight.  The 
western  portion  of  the  State,  to  the  extent  of  about  one-half  its 
area,  has  been  cleaned  to  date. 

Pathological  Work.  The  foundation  of  all  our  operations  is  the 
knowledge  of  the  disease  itself.  Fortunately  this  has  been  increased 
very  materially  by  our  own  investigations,  the  results  of  which  are 
given  following  the  report  of  the  field  operations.  We  have  deter- 
mined that  the  form  of  the  fungus  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
State  is  harmless,  and  therefore  in  that  region  no  forced  cuttings  are 
required.  Facts  have  been  learned  showing  that  the  disease  may  be 
disseminated  by  the  carrying  of  ascospores  in  the  air,  which  has  given 
us  many  helpful  suggestions  in  the  field  work.  The  facts  as  to  the 
longevity  of  spores  have  been  obtained  and  as  to  the  amount  of  cold 
they  will  endure  before  germination. 

Insect  Investigations.  Next  follows  a brief  statement  of  the  work 
so  far  done  in  the  study  of  insects.  This  was  begun  very  recently 
and  there  is  little  to  report.  Suffice  it  to  say,  hoAvever,  that  there  is 


8 


no  postive  evidence  obtained  tbrat  insects  carry  the  disease,  though  it 
is  still  suspected.  Much  time  has  been  given  to  the  study  of  ants 
with  no  positive  results  as  yet.  It  has  been  determined,  however,  by  in- 
vestigations in  co-operation  with  the  United  States  Entomological 
Bureau,  that  certain  species  of  insects  eat  the  spores,  and  to  a slight 
extent  at  least,  take  part  in  diminishing  the  disease. 

Chemical  Investigations.  In  the  chemical  work,  also,  much  is  yet 
to  be  done,  but  a few  interesting  things  have  been  determined  includ- 
ing one  important  fact:  that  the  blighted  portions  of  trees  possess  a 
larger  percentage  of  tannin  extract  than  healthy  portions  of  the 
same  trees.  Extract  from  blighted  portions  also  appears  to  give  a 
better  color  to  the  leather,  particularly  sole  leather. 

Tree  Medication.  Considerable  time  has  been  given  to  this  work 
but  so  far  only  with  the  result  that  it  is  found  to  be  rather  easy  to 
inject  various  solutions  throughout  the  chestnut  tree.  We  have  not 
been  able  as  yet,  however,  to  inject  such  trees  with  a sufficiently 
strong  solution  to  kill  the  fungus  and  not  injure  the  tree.  Many  in- 
teresting incidental  facts  have  been  learned,  however,  of  use  to 
us  and  to  others  in  future  studies. 

Treatment  of  Individual  Trees.  Splendid  results  have  followed 
our  work  in  the  examination  and  advice  as  to  the  treatment  of  indi- 
vidual trees  on  lawns  and  in  public  parks,  and  also  orchard  trees. 
This  work  has  been  much  appreciated  by  the  people.  In  connection 
with  this  work  it  has  been  learned  that  the  spraying  of  Bordeaux 
Mixture  appears  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  disease  into  healthy 
trees. 

Geographic  Work.  A brief  statement  of  the  geographic  work  fol- 
lows, which  has  been  going  on  but  a short  time.  This  work  is  of 
much  aid  to  the  field  operations,  and  is  suggestive  in  probable  expla- 
nations of  certain  unusual  occurrences  of  the  disease  in  particular 
locations. 

Utilisation  of  Diseased  Trees.  The  important  part  of  our  work  in 
the  Eastern  District  is  the  exploitation  of  markets  for  the  great 
amount  of  diseased  chestnut  timber  existing  there.  Cutting  of  dis- 
eased timber  has  already  begun  on  many  tracts  in  this  region  through 
our  influence.  Plans  are  under  way  for  the  disposal  of  such  timber  in 
Valley  Forge  and  Fairmount  Parks,  and  arrangements  have  been 
made  for  a rapid  consumption  within  the  next  two  or  three  month 
of  coi'dwood,  chiefly  for  tanuin  extract.  Much  investigation  has  also 
been  started  in  this  line  of  work. 

Demonstration.  A statement  is  next  given  of  the  lecture  work 
at  Farmers’  and  Teachers’  Institutes,  and  of  exhibits  made  at  County 
Agricultural  Fairs.  Our  work  is  being  explained  free  at  one  hundred 
of  the  Farmers’  Institutes  in  localities  which  are  the  most  important 
in  this  respect. 


9 


There  is  finally  appended  a statement  by  the  Deputy  Commissioner 
of  Forestry  on  the  silvicultural  effect  of  our  sanitation  work,  giving 
its  advantages  in  actual  forestry  management. 

Chestnut  becomes  weakened  through  repeated  sprouting  after  lum- 
bering operations,  but  the  practice  of  cutting  low  and  peeling  and 
burning  the  stumps,  forces  sprouting  far  down  near  the  surface  of 
the  ground,  with  the  effect  of  a production  of  much  more  healthy  and 
vigorous  new  trees,  which  are  not  likely  to  be  injured  by  decay  from 
within,  as  in  cases  where  the  sprouts  occur  up  on  the  stump  and 
are  supported  by  a decayed  and  weakened  base. 

No  remedy  lias  yet  been  obtained  for  the  blight  disease  through 
the  work  of  any  institution.  However,  with  the  efforts  being  made 
in  that  direction  by  our  scientific  force,  there  is  hope  at  least  that 
such  a result  may  yet  be  obtained. 

In  closing,  we  beg  to  call  to  your  attention  the  fact  already  stated, 
of  being  just  now  in  condition,  with  a well  equipped  organization, 
and  a good  staff  of  scientific  men  for  doing  rapid  and  thorough 
work,  and  that  it  would  be  unfortunate  »if  we  could  not,  while  so  well 
equipped,  go  on  and  finish  the  work  that  has  been  given  us  to  do, 
particularly,  as  hereafter  our  work  is  bound  to  be  doubly  more  ef- 
fective. It  is  important  to  note,  also,  the  helpful  effect  of  our  op- 
erations on  the  bordering  states  of  Ohio  and  portions  of  New  York, 
West  Virginia  and  Maryland,  where  the  chestnut  may  be  largely,  if 
not  entirely  saved  from  the  disease  through  our  own  operations,  just 
as  Massachusetts  has  helped  other  states  in  connection  with  her  work 
with  the  gypsy  moth. 

To  efficiently  continue  the  work  it  is  of  great  importance  that  the 
next  appropriation  be  made  more  liberal  than  the  present  one.  It 
should  be  not  less  than  $500,000.  The  increase  would  be  economical 
in  the  end,  for  it  will  enable  thorough  work  to  be  done,  and  not 
to  do  thorough  work  is,  of  course,  uneconomical. 

Trusting  that  the  entire  report  may  be  found  interesting,  and  that 
it  shows  therein  results  which  amply  justify  the  continuation  of  the 
work,  we  beg  to  remain, 

Very  truly  yours, 

WINTHBOP  SAEGENT, 
Chairman. 


(10) 


11 


EEPOET  OF  THE  GENEEAL  MANAGES  FOE  THE  LATTEE 
HALF  OF  THE  YEAE,  1912. 


The  period  of  raj  connection  with  the  Commission  dates  from 
June  7,  1912.  A brief  statement  has  already  been  given  by  the 
General  Superintendent,  in  his  report  of  last  July,  giving  the  cir- 
cumstances which  lead  to  my  appointment,  and  which  made  it  de- 
sirable to  have  a broader  organization  of  the  Commission 
force  in  order  to  do  the  work  that  seemed  to  be  required  in  various 
lines.  As  that  report  practically  covered  the  work  done  up  to  July 
1,  1912,  this  report  may  be  considered  to  refer  to  operations  from  that 
date. 

ORGANIZATION. 

As  the  chief  duty  of  one  in  my  position  is  understood  to  be  the 
general  direction  of  different  lines  of  operations  and  the  establish- 
ment of  such  new  lines  as  seem  to  be  required,  naturally  much  time 
was  needed  to  be  given  to  organization. 

FIELD  OPERATION'S. 

The  chief  purpose  of  the  Act  of  Assembly  establishing  the  Com- 
mission, is  the  extermination  of  the  chestnut  tree  blight  disease  by  the 
removal  or  destruction  of  all  diseased  material,  and,  therefore,  the 
field  operations  are  of  prime  importance.  This  work  being 
under  the  direction  of  the  General  Superintendent,  was  already  well 
organized  and  in  thorough  operation,  and  needed  little  or  no  atten- 
tion on  my  part. 

From  the  beginning,  a more  or  less  definite  division  has  been 
maintained  between  the  slightly  infected  western  portion  of  the 
i State  and  the  badly  infected  eastern  portion,  these  divisions  being 
called  the  Western  and  Eastern  Districts,  respectively.  In  the  two 
districts  quite  different  restrictions  are  maintained  with  respect  to 
the  method  of  procedure  in  handling  diseased  trees.  The  line  of 
cemarcation  between  these  districts,  as  at  present  understood,  is 
the  eastern  boundary  lines  of  Fulton,  Huntingdon,  Mifflin,  Center, 
Clinton,  Lycoming,  Sullivan  and  Bradford  Counties.  It  will  be  re- 
membered by  the  Commission  members  that  until  recently,  no  definite 
regulations  of  quarantine  governing  the  handling  of  diseased  ehest- 
mi+  wood  in  these  districts  have  been  adopted,  as  we  have  been 
'ng  ourselves  constantly  the  best  method  of  operation,  and  in- 
dividual cases  have  been  handled  in  accordance  with  local  conditions 


12 


and  the  stage  of  our  knowledge  of  dissemination  of  the  disease  at 
the  time.  Recently,  as  we  have  given  more  attention  to  the  subject 
of  utilization,  it  has  become  practically  necessary  for  the  information 
of  parties  wishing  to  make  commercial  use  of  diseased  chestnut  prod- 
ucts, to  be  able  to  refer  them  to  some  definite  system  of  regulations 
imposed.  Therefore,  a complete  statement  of  quarantine  regulations 
governing  the  felling  and  transportation  of  diseased  chestnut  pro- 
ducts has  been  submitted  to  you  for  your  approval,  and  is  attached 
herewith  to  this  report. 

PATHOLOGICAL  INVESTIGATIONS. 

As  the  chestnut  tree  blight  disease  is  caused  by  a fungus  parasite, 
at  present  knoAvn  technically  by  the  name  of  Diaporthe  parasitica, 
Murr.,  and  as  little  or  nothing  was  known  of  the  nature  of  this 
parasite  at  the  time  the  Commission  began  its  work,  the  first  and 
most  essential  scientific  study  was  an  investigation  of  the  disease 
itself,  and  the  fungus  which  caused  it.  For  some  time  field  patho- 
logical investigations  have  been  conducted  in  the  region  of  the  ad- 
vance line  of  the  disease,  chiefly  as  an  aid  to  the  scouting  work.  It 
seemed  very  necessary,  however,  to  make  some  thorough  studies  in 
a general  way  of  the  fungus  itself,  its  relation  to  its  host — the  chest- 
nut tree — the  manner  of  dissemination,  etc.,  with  headquarters  for 
such  investigations  near  the  main  office  in  Philadelphia.  Accord- 
ingly a pathologist  of  national  reputation  and  much  experience  was 
selected  to  take  charge  of  these  lines  of  investigation,  and  to  be  pri- 
marily responsible  also  for  the  conduct  of  nursery  stock  inspection 
and  for  the  instruction  of  new  scouts.  He  is  also  expected  to  advise 
with  others  in  direct  charge  of  related  lines  of  investigation. 

The  entire  pathological  staff,  as  now  made  up,  including  two  path- 
ologists and  six  assistant  pathologists,  is  one  of  the  best  in  the 
United  States  and  will  compare  well  with  any  similar  body  of  scien- 
tific men  at  the  State  Experiment  Stations  or  in  the  Federal  Service. 

INVESTIGATIONS  OF  INSECTS. 

Numerous  agents  have  been  suggested  as  taking  part  in  the  dis- 
semination of  the  blight  disease,  and  naturally  insects  have  been 
thought  of  at  once.  It  seemed  very  necessary,  therefore,  to  make 
investigations  of  the  habits  of  insects  found  associated  with  the  dis- 
ease, and  such  a line  of  Work  has,  therefore,  been  established.  One 
entomologist  and  an  assistant  in  charge  are  conducting  these  inves- 
tigations. Previously,  considerable  work  had  been  done  also  by  an 
assistant  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Entomology,  in  co-operation  with  tlie 
Commission,  and  during  the  past  summer  two  entomologists  were 
employed  for  a brief  period  of  three  months  each,  for  special  summer 
investigations. 


13 


CHEMICAL  STUDIES. 

For  a time  au  assistant  chemist  was  employed  to  aid  the  physiolo- 
gist conducting  investigations  in  tree  medication.  Later,  it  seemed 
very  desirable  to  investigate  the  effect  of  the  disease  upon  the  pro- 
duction of  tannin,  and  also  its  effect  upon  the  quality  of  the  extract 
in  the  manufacture  of  leather  and  other  ways.  This  assistant  was, 
therefore,  instructed  to  conduct  such  investigations.  The  results 
obtained  already  have  been  very  interesting  and  of  economic  import- 
ance, as  shown  in  his  accompanying  report. 

' TREE  MEDICATION. 

For  some  time  an  effort  has  been  made  to  determine  if  certain 
liquid  solutions  or  gases  could  be  injected  into  the  chestnut  tree, 
with  the  result  of  preventing  or  killing  the  blight  fungus,  with- 
out injuring  the  tree.  The  physiologist  in  charge  of  this  work, 
located  at  Philadelphia,  at  first  was  burdened  with  other  duties  of 
identifying  specimens  received  and  making  cultures  of  the  fungus. 
Since  the  reorganization  of  the  scientific  work,  she  has  been  relieved 
of  these  extra  duties  and  instructed  to  give  her  entire  time  to  the 
tree  medication  work. 

TREATMENT  OF  INDIVIDUAL  TREES. 

Numerous  requests  have  been  received  from  time  to  time  for  the 
examination  of  individual  trees,  which  because  of  their  location  on 
lawns  or  in  public  parks,  and  from  long  associations  are  usually 
prized,  much  above  the  value  of  ordinary  trees,  with  a desire  for 
advice  whether  such  trees  could  be  saved  by  some  special  treatment, 
if  only  for  a short  time.  It  was  at  first  impossible  to  properly  handle 
these  requests  with  the  help  at  hand,  and,  therefore,  a well  trained 
forester  from  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service  was  appointed  to  take  im- 
mediate charge  of  this  kind  of  work.  He  has  been  given  one  assistant 
and  such  other  special  help  as  -’could  be  furnished  at  different  times. 

To  date,  not  one  of  the  numerous  requests  for  examination  of  even 
a single  tree  at  any  distance,  within  the  State,  from  Philadelphia, 
has  been  neglected.  No  doubt  ip  this  way  the  Commission  has  been 
able  to  save,  for  a time  at  least,  many  trees  that  might  have  other- 
wise been  considered  hopeless  and  destroyed ; on  the  other  hand,  the 
minds  of  many  people  have  been  relieved  by  definite  advice  to  destroy 
trees  that  could  not  have  been  saved. 

GEOGRAPHIC  WORK. 

In  the  scouting  work  it  is  required  that  the  field  men  report  facts 
as  to  the  percentage  and  location  of  chestnut  trees  and  the  principal 
other  trees  in  the  localities  where  they  are  working,  as  well  as 
the  percentage  and  location  of  the  blight  disease,  and  also  o'- 
casionally,  other  information  of  value  to  forestry. 


14 


To  show  accurately  what  has  been  accomplished  by  the  Commission, 
and  to  record  our  operations,  it  is  necessary  to  bring,  these  facts  to- 
gether in  a harmonious  whole  on  maps  drawn  to  uniform  scale.  A 
former  member  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  a,  man  of  considerable 
training  in  Geography,  has  been  employed  to  do  this  work.  At  the 
same  time  he  is  expected  to  furnish  all  the  information  he  can  on 
the  relations  of  rainfall,  altitude,  temperature,  etc.,  throughout  the 
State  to  the  occurrence  of  the  blight  disease.  This  work  has  been 
under  way  but  a short  time  and  already  we  have  obtained  interesting 
results,  particularly  as  to  the  probable  relation  of  rainfall  to  the 
spread  of  this  disease. 

UTILIZATION. 

As  the  only  practical  means  of  accomplishing  anything  over  a large 
area  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  is  simply  the  disposal  of  diseased 
wood  as  rapidly  as  possible,  it  is  of  prime  importance  to  encourage 
in  every  way  the  uses  of  different  chestnut  products.. 

The  exploitation  of  such  operations  was  put  in  charge  of  the  As- 
sociate Forester  of  the  Minnesota  School  of  Forestry,  who  was  secured 
for  this  work  temporarily  on  leave  of  absence  from  that  Institution. 
His  connection  with  the  Commissioin  dates  only  from  about  Septem- 
ber 1st.  Naturally,  as  with  other  lines  of  operations,  much  time  had 
to  be  spent  in  getting  in  shape  for  active  operations,  providing  cards 
and  files  for  obtaining  information,  getting  out  circulars,  and  getting 
together  a force  of  men  capable  of  giving  the  proper  assistance ; how- 
ever, much  headway  has  already  been  made.  Numerous  cuttings  of 
various  tracts  have  been  under  way  for  some  time,  due  to  our  efforts, 
many  buyers  have  been  put  into  communication  with  sellers,  and 
deals  have  thus  beeu  made. 

A plan  is  being  completed  for  disposal  of  wood  in  Fairinount  and 
Valley  Forge  Parks;  extract  factories  have  been  induced  to  take 
much  more  diseased  chestnut  wood  *md  other  things  done,  making 
the  progress  in  this  line  to  date  very  satisfactory. 

DEMONSTRATION  AND  LECTURES. 

We  have  constantly  endeavored,  as  far  as  possible  with  the  limited 
help  we  have,  to  inform  the  people  in  advance  of  the  destructive  nature 
of  the  disease  with  which  we  are  dealing.  At  the  same  time  as  fast  as 
we  have  obtained  any  information  of  value  or  made  any  scientific  dis- 
coveries, these  have  also  been  made  known,  so  that  the  people  may 
see  we  are  trying  in  every  way  to  be  of  aid  to  them  in  combating  the 
disease. 

The  work  in  this  line  has  been  in  the  form  of  demonstrations  at 
county  fairs  where  actual  exhibits  have  been  made,  lectures  at  Teach- 
ers’ Institutes,  talks  to  timber  owners  at  Farmers’  Institutes  and 


)ecial  lectures  and  exhibits,  at  different  times,  before  different  so- 
eties  at  educational  institutions  and  at  expositions.  The  special 
jatures  of  this  work  at  present  are  the  exhibits  being  prepared  to 
; installed  at  the  State  Museum  at  Harrisburg  and  the  Commer- 
al  Museum  in  Philadelphia. 

CO-OPERATION. 

The  Commission  has  been  fortunate  from  the  beginning  in  obtaining 
e hearty  co-operation  of  various  institutions,  public  and  private, 
jich  has  not  only  been  of  much  aid  to  us,  but  has  shown  the  interest 
ken  by  the  people  in  this  most  peculiar  and  destructive  of  forest 
ie  epidemics. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE. 


The  most  extensive  co-operation  has  been  with  the  Bureau  of  Plant 
dustry  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture.  Actual  financial 
lp  has  been  given  by  that  institution  to  the  extent  of  about  one 
pusand  dollars  per  month,  or  at  the  rate  of  twelve  thousand  dollars 
f year.  This  help  has  been  partly  in  the  shape  of  furnishing  micro- 
bes and  other  apparatus,  and  the  payment  of  expenses  of  em- 
[>yees  outside  of  Pensylvania,  but  chiefly  in  the  actual  transfer  of 
aries  of  nearly  all  the  pathological  force  from  our  own  funds  to 
it  of  ‘‘Investigations  in  Forest  Pathology”  in  that  Bureau.  We  have 
^ turn  been  of  much  help  to  the  Federal  Service  in  stirring  up  inter- 
in forest  tree  diseases  throughout  the  country,  in  obtaining  ap- 
>priations  for  the  Federal  work  and  in  general  information  given, 
' to  the  nature  of  the  disease  and  manner  of  dissemination. 


1 


UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 


e 

S 


id 

te 

as 


foo  much  cannot  be  said  of  the  generous  attitude  of  the  University 
Pennsylvania.  Two  large  and  well-equipped  laboratories  with  gas, 
ter  and  other  facilities  have  been  furnished  by  this  University  in 
new  Zoology  Building,  free  of  rent,  we  taking  part  only  in  the 
ment  of  actual  expenses  of  lighting  and  janitor  service.  The 
anical  Department  has  also  furnished  space  for  the  tree  medica- 
1 work  and  also  considerable  apparatus,  including  microscopes. 


STATE  FORESTRY  DEPARTMENT. 


aT 

he 


at 

ch- 

ill 


Tom  the  beginning  there  has  been  the  closest  co-operation  with  the 
te  Forestry  Department  in  all  of  our  work,  the  Deputy  Comrnis- 
ter  himself,  being  a collaborator  on  this  Commission.  Constant 
ctical  suggestions  and  help  in  many  other  ways  have  been  given 
hat  Department,  as  well  as  the  help  of  their  foresters  on  the  forest 
■rves. 

2 


OTHER  INSTITUTIONS. 


Pennsylvania  State  College  has  taken  part  in  the  scientific  invest^  i 
tions  as  far  as  its  force  of  men  and  equipment  would  permit.  . $ 
present  one  of  our  assistant  field  pathologists  is  located  at  that  : d 
stitution. 

A field  pathological  laboratory  is  also  maintained  in  connecti  - 
with  the  Franklin  and  Marshall  College  at  Lancaster,  which  instil  :: 
tion  has  provided  rooms  for  laboratory  work. 

Dr.  W.  G.  Farlow  of  Harvard  University,  is  also  aiding  in  t i 
scientific  investigations  through  the  work  of  one  of  his  assistants  w » 
is  making  culture  studies  of  the  blight  fungus. 

The  Foreign  Seed  and  Plant  Introduction  office  of  the  U.  S.  Bure 
of  Plant  Industry  has  also  given  material  help  by  furnishing  us  wi  * 
nuts  of  a Chinese  chestnut,  which  is  claimed  to  be  immune  to  t is 
blight  disease,  to  be  used  in  grafting  and  cross-breeding  experimeu 

We  have  all  along  maintained  cordial  and  helpful  relations  wi  * 
State  institutions  in  several  of  the  adjoining  States. 


SPREAD  OF  THE  DISEASE. 

- 

As  between  the  two  years,  1912  and  1911  it  appears  that  in  cert;  ' 
portions  of  the  State  the  chestnut  blight  disease  has  spread  mu  '’ 
more  rapidly  in  1912.  This  condition  has  been  particularly  tr  ’ 
apparently,  in  the  Western  District,  the  disease  having  reoccuri  - 
with  considerable  virulence  in  places  where  it  was  already  or 
eradicated.  The  reoccurrence  of  the  disease  in  cleaned  areas  v 
expected,  but  that  it  should  happen  to  the  extent  if  has  the  p 
season  in  certain  localities  seems  due  to  the  unusual  rain  fall 
those  places  in  the  summer  of  1912.  as  shown  on  precipitation  ma 
accompanying  the  report  of  the  Geographer. 

PROGRESS  OF  THE  FIELD  WORK. 

The  condition  above  stated  of  the  considerable  reoccurrence  of  i- 
disease  in  localities  already  cleaned  has  interfered  materially  w | 
the  progress  of  the  field  work ; nevertheless,  much  has  been  acc<  »- 
plished.  The  amount  of  actual  sanitation  completed  is  much  m t 
than  I ever  expected  could  be  performed,  and  the  difficulties  w r 
which  we  have  had  to  contend  makes  such  progress  all  the  m . 
gratifying. 

With  the  exception  of  a single  infected  area  in  Somerset  Corn  f 
the  inspection  work  and  removal  of  diseased  trees  has  been  acc  l 
plished  over  about  one-half  of  the  State,  details  of  which  are  gii 
however,  in  the  accompanying  report  of  the  General  Superintend* 


17 


NURSERY  INSPECTION. 


kl  number  of  eases  of  new  infections  in  the  western  part  of  the 
■ite.  caused  by  the  introduction  of  diseased  nursery  stock,  have 
de  it  imperative  that  strict  inspection  be  made  of  all  nursery  stock 
ended  for  shipment.  It  was  soon  found  that  such  inspection 
'i1  ded  to  be  more  and  more  rigid.  Finally,  we  have  required  indi- 
ilual  tree  inspection,  and  that  every  tree  in  shipping  must  be  given 
individual  certificate  of  inspection.  This  does  away  absolutely 
tih  the  possibility  of  including  in  bundles  any  that  might 
werwise  go  uninspected,  and  furnishes  a system  of  inspection  far 
ad  of  that  actually  practiced  by  any  of  the  States.  It  is  also 
mired  of  the  railroads  that  no  chestnut  trees  be  allowed  to 
me  into  the  State  without  proper  certificates  of  inspection, 
tls  it  is  not  possible  for  the  Commission  to  station  a man  perma- 
•li  tly  at  all  chestnut  nurseries,  the  possibility  has  been  noted  that 
wiasional  shipments  of  uninspected  nursery  stock  might  be  made 
bout  the  knowledge  of  the  Commission.  To  prevent  such  an  occur- 
be  it  is  now  required  of  all  nurseries  that  their  stock  shall  be  in- 
ffed  at  intervals,  whether  shipments  are  to  bfe  made  or  not. 
he  total  number  of  trees  inspected  during  the  fall  season  was 
.(,  1,  of  which  70  were  rejected,  and  the  remainder  3499  considered 
UI»e  sound  trees.  The  details  as  to  the  number  of  trees  inspected, 

, I names  of  the  nurseries  themselves,  dates  of  inspection,  etc.,  are 
irlsn  in  the  pathologist’s  report.  *- 

01  i 

1 RESISTANCE  AND  IMMUNITY. 


|j  mong  the  different  lines  of  investigation  that  should  be  made 
onnection  with  the  blight  disease  there  is  left  the  study  of  resist- 
i or  immunity  to  the  disease  on  the  part  of  individual  trees,  for 
?h  there  is,  so  far,  no  provision.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  to  date 
■ueh  study  has  been  made  by  other  institutions.  I have  thought 
ntly  of  giving  some  personal  attention  to  this  subject  myself,  so 
if  as  can  be  done,  in  addition  to  administrative  work.  The  seed- 
k * we  will  obtain  from  the  nuts  introduced  from  China  will  form 
co  >od  basis  for  such  an  investigation  in  the  way  of  introducing 
k ign  stock.  Observations  should  be  made,  however,  on  the  natural 
" fiance  of  individual  native  trees  and  hereafter,  it  is  expected  that 
11  3 attention  will  be  given  to  that  matter.  By  the  use  of  buds  or 
ts  from  such  resistant  trees  or  from  foreign  stocks,  or  by  later 
1111  ^-breeding,  a variety  of  chestnut  for  orchard  purposes  may  be 
,;t  loped  which  would  be  at  least  resistant,  if  not  immune,  to  the 

? it  disease. 

4 


18 


THE  OUTLOOK. 


After  giving  the  organization  and  scope  of  the  work  of  the  C 
mission,  as  above  outlined,  and  knowing  the  principal  results  of 
operations,  as  summarized  in  the  reports  here  following  natnr 
one  may  ask  the  question,  what  is  the  outlook? 

As  I have  seen  the  progress  of  the  work  from  all  standpoi 
and  undertook  my  duties  unacquainted  with  the  State,  and  < 
therefore,  view  the  results  impartially,  and  having  had  a previ 
experience  of  over  twenty  years  in  combating  plant  diseases, 
own  view  of  the  outlook  as  here  follows  may  be  of  interest. 

First.  The  complete  sanitation  of  the  State  as  to  this  disease  c 
practically  the  western  half  of  it  is  in  Jitself,  in  my  own  mind,  wc 
much  more  than  the  entire  appropriation  already  made;  this  in 
gard  to  the  State  itself.  In  addition  we  may  have  been  the  mean: 
saving  the  chestnut  trees  in  Ohio  and  adjoining  portions  of  New  Y< 
West  Virginia  and  Maryland  as  well. 

Second.  The  scientific  results  obtained  already  are  not  excee 
in  interest  and  value  by  those  of  any  other  institution  in  the  s£ 
length  of  time.  The  determination  of  a distinct  form  of  the  fun 
known  as  the  “Connellsville  fungus”  and  the  discovery  of  the  cai 
ing  of  ascospores  by  the  wind  is  of  the  greatest  practical  importa 
in  further  operations  against  the  disease. 

Learning  more  as  we  are  every  day  of  the  proper  methods  of 
moval  of  diseased  trees,  based  upon  scientific  and  practical  kno 
edge,  our  work  is  bound  to  be  still  more  effective  in  the  future, 
the  least  of  the  important  results  of  our  work,  as  stated  by  i 
Collaborator,  the  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Forestry,  in  another  pk 
is  the  good  effect  it  will  have  on  forestry  management  in  the  Stati 

We  have  organized  such  a splendid  force  of  scientists  and 
esters  that  our  work  will  go  on  in  the  future  with  double  the  rapi< 
and  thoroughness  of  the  past.  Given  a sufficient  appropriation 
the  next  two  years,  which  should  be  much  more  than  heretofore  ap 
priated,  I am  still  confident,  as  stated  in  the  recent  summary  ofl 
suits  for  the  Governor,  that  at  the  end  of  two  more  years,  we  s' 
have  the  chestnut  blight  disease  practically  under  control. 

Abstracts  of  the  reports  of  different  lines  of  operations  of  the  C| 
mission  follow  herewith,  together  with  the  last  monthly  fina 
statement.  The  complete  reports  of  the  different  men  in  charge 
available,  if  desirable  to  obtain  further  details,  not  here  abstract 
Respectfully  submitted, 

MARK  ALFRED  CARLETON 


in 


REPORT  OF  THE  GENERAL  SUPERINTENDENT. 
(Pigs.  1-21.) 


i! 

J THE  CHESTNUT  TREE  BARK  DISEASE. 

'lie  main  facts  known  to  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission 
n it  was  created  in  June  1911,  were  that  a destructive  disease 
> used  by  a parasitic  fungus  had  affected  a majority  of  the  chestnut 
iws  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  State  and  that  this  disease 
in  rapidly  sweeping  westward  across  the  State.  The  Commission 
in  created  to  find  out  the  facts  relating  to  the  fungus  and  to  apply 
Yubest  available  measures  in  an  attempt  to  eradicate  cliecn  it. 
the  time  the  Commission  was  organized  no  extensive  systematic 
:ee  y of  the  disease  had  been  made  by  any  investigators  except  those 
Si  le  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture.  Accordingly,  Dr.  Haven 
inn  alf  who  conducted  these  investigations  was  called  in  consultation 
ca  the  Commission  determined  to  adopt  the  plan  of  control  recorn- 
irt  led  by  him.  The  first  necessity  in  any  fight  is  to  know  the  loca- 
and  strength  of  the  enemy.  Therefore,  the  first  action  advised  by 
of  Metcalf  was  to  make  a general  scout  of  the  State,  to  determine 
kni  ixtent  to  which  the  disease  had  spread.  The  blight  does  not 
id  in  a solid  line,  but  first  appears  on  a single  tree  or  small 
of  trees  miles  ahead  of  the  main  body  of  the  infection,  from 
it  spreads  to  the  trees  immediately  adjoining.  This  fungus  is 
nt  which  produces  immense  numbers  of  spores  by  which  it 
tuates  itself.  It  is  assumed  that  the  destruction  of  all  in- 
>us  material  in  any  spot  will  prevent  the  further  spread  of  the 
don  se  in  that  spot  unless  reinfected  from  an  outside  source,  much 
;ap  destroying  the  roots  and  seeds  of  the  Canada  thistle  we  can 
to  nt  the  spread  of  this  pest.  Therefore,  the  plan  of  control,  in 
ire  is  to  locate  all  the  spots  of  advance  infection  in  the 
rn  part  of  the  State  and  carefully  destroy  the  diseased  bark  and 
infectious  material  by  burning.  By  reinspecting  these  spots 
ecurrence  of  the  disease  and  by  scouting  for  any  new  spots 
may  appear,  it  is  expected  that  the  disease  will  be  kept  from  ad- 
tig  further  into  the  State.  Sanitation  (destruction  of  diseased 
appears  to  be  the  most  practical  plan  of  control  that  can  be 
id  by  the  Commission  until  scientific  research  has  time  to  dem- 
ite  a better  method. 


by 

r pi  1 

hat 

id 


¥ 


20 


FIELD  OPERATIONS  IN  1911. 

The  field  operations  of  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission 
gan  in  August  1911,  when  a party  of  six  scouts  was  placed  in 
field  in  York  county.  Subsequently,  the  force  was  increased  until, 
November,  thirty-five  scouts  were  engaged  in  a hasty  survey  of 
central  part  of  the  State.  The  field  work  in  1911  was  done  at  a t 
advantage,  due  to  the  lack  of  trained  men  and  the  very  slight  kno 
edge  concerning  the  geographic  extent  of  the  disease  in  the  Sta 
It  was  not  until  after  the  leaves  began  to  turn  color  that  an  ef! 
live  organization  could  be  developed.  The  unusually  favorable  1 
and  winter  weather  in  1911  and  1912  has  made  it  possible  to  do  mi 
work  than  could  otherwise  have  been  done. 

It  was  thought  before  the  field  work  began  in  1911,  that  the  blij 
had  not  extended  west  of  the  Susquehanna  river  except  in  southeast 
York  county.  It  was  a great  surprise  to  find  that  in  the  east< 
and  central  portions  of  Cumberland,  Perry,  Juniata,  Snyder  a 
Union  Countiies  the  blight  was  already  well  established.  Spotl 
fections  were  found  widely  distributed  throughout  this  territo 
although  the  region  was  apparently  not  yet  hopelessly  infected.  Ur 
January  1st,  1912,  field  work  was  confined  entirely  to  scouting  1 ; 
central  section  of  the  State,  to  determine  the  location  of  the  advaj 
line  of  the  blight,  that  is,  the  point  beyond  which  the  areas  of  bl ip 
infection  were  small,  few  and  widely  scattered.  This  was  found j 
extend  along  the  Tuscarora  mountains  in  Fulton  county  throe 
eastern  Huntingdon,  Centre  and  Clinton  counties,  central  Lycomij 
county  and  thence  northeast  to  the  northeast  corner  of  Susquehar  i 
county,  as  indicated  by  the  dotted  line  on  the  accompanying  map.  I 

Soon  after  the  work  began  in  1911,  about  6,000  circular  letters  aj] 
ing  for  information  relative  to  the  condition  of  the  chestuut  tr<| 
were  sent  out.  Many  hundred  replies  were  received,  and  late  injfll 
fall  inspections  were  made  at  points  in  the  western  portion  (ifjdl 
State  where  the  chestnut  trees  were  reported  as  being  unhealthy.  Or 
one  case  of  blight  was  fouud  out  of  over  one  hundred  inspections  HI' 
tributed  throughout  all  the  counties  west  of  the  advance  line.  It  lal 
impossible  in  this  preliminary  scouting  to  cover  every  county  inHI 
western  half  of  the  State,  but  the  results  of  the  inspection,  togell 
with  the  information  obtained  in  other  ways,  made  it  practically  Hr 
tain  that  the  advance  line  as  located  was  approximately  corre  | 
West  of  this  line  it  was  expected  that  only  a relatively  small  numl ; 
of  isolated  spot  infections  would  be  found  when  a detailed  sun;) 
was  made.  A careful  scouting  of  every  county  in  the  western  half  i 
the  State  in  the  spring,  summer  and  fall  of  1912  shows  that  the  cone  i 
sions  reached  last  year  were  correct,  except  that  a considerable  ai 
of  blight  exists  in  Somerset  county. 


21 


SCOPE  OF  WORK  EAST  AND  WEST  OF  THE  ADVANCE  LINE. 


Soon  after  the  work  of  the  Commission  was  begun  it  became  evi- 
lent  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  Commission  to  carry  on  field  work 
I ast  as  well  as  west  of  the  advance  line.  The  field  work  west  of  the 
dvance  line  has  for  its  object  primarily  the  total  eradication  of  the 
■light,  and  the  checking  of  further  westward  spread.  East  of  the  ad- 
vance line,  where  the  bulk  of  the  chestnut  trees  is  located,  it  is  the 
uty  of  the  Commission  to  acquaint  owners  of  timber  with  the  facts 
i elating  to  the  blight.  Every  owner  of  chestnut  timber  should  know  of 
; he  existence  of  this  disease  on  his  property  either  in  time  to  save  the 
u minfected  trees,  or  at  least  in  time  to  cut  out  the  diseased  trees  be- 
ore  they  deteriorate  in  commercial  value. 

I For  the  purpose  of  our  work  the  State  has  been  divided  into  two 
it  istricts.  The  western  district  comprises  Fulton,  Huntingdon,  Mifflin, 
t lentre,  Clinton,  Lycoming,  Sullivan  and  Bradford  counties  and  all  the 
ounties  lying  west  of  them.  The  counties  lying  east  of  the  above 
t amed  counties  comprise  the  eastern  district.  In  each  district  a dis- 
f rict  superintendent  has  been  appointed  to  direct  the  field  work. 

'held  headquarters,  centrally  located,  have  been  established  at  Leba- 
: on  in  the  east  and  Tyrone  in  the  west.  The  western  district  was 
a ubdivided  into  seven  divisions  of  five  to  seven  counties  each,  and  five 
li  ivisions  were  made  in  the  eastern  district.  Each  division  has  been 
i(  i charge  of  a Supervisor.  A field  agent  was  detailed  to  conduct  the 
o mrk  in  a county  and  as  many  scouts  as  necessary  were  assigned 


im  as  assistants. 


■ 

FIELD  WOBK  IN  THE  WESTERN  DISTRICT  IN  1912. 


11  DETAILED  SCOUTING. 

In  January,  1912,  the  plan  of  the  field  work  was  changed.  Field 
Igents  of  the  Commission  were  stationed  in  the  central  part  of  the 
tate  close  to  the  advance  line.  Each  Field  Agent  proceeded  to  make 
fee  to  tree  examinations  in  the  vicinity  of  previously  located  spot 

I afections.  In  this  way  a systematic  and  thorough  examination  was 
;t  lade,  tract  by  tract.  The  infected  trees  were  blazed  and  the  owner 

iformed  of  their  existence,  with  a request  to  cut  them  and  destroy  the 
iseased  bark.  Much  effort  was  expended  during  the  winter  in 
olding  field  demonstration  meetings  and  in  other  educational  work 

II  i familiarize  the  timber  owners  with  the  blight,  in  each  community 
here  the  disease  had  been  found.  In  this  way  all  of  the  first  dis- 
uvered  infections  along  the  advance  line  were  removed  without  forced 
it  ting  being  done  by  the  Commission,  but  much  effort  and  time  had 
> be  devoted  to  explaining  to  owners  the  benefit  they  would  derive 


by  following  the  plan  outlined  by  the  Commission.  This  delayed  th  | 
progress  of  the  inspection  so  that  in  the  spring  only  a small  portioi 
of  each  county  on  the  advance  line  had  been  thoroughly  cleaned  up. 

In  the  latter  part  of  March  and  through  April,  May  and  June  tin 
field  force  was  steadily  increased  and  the  work  organized  so  that  even 
county  in  the  western  district  had  from  two  to  five  men  making  t 
thorough  examination  to  locate  spot  infections.  The  discovery  of  tin 
extensive  infection  in  Somerset  county  together  with  the  existence  o: 
the  socalled  “Connellsville  Fungus”  (see  next  heading  i made  it  ex 
tremely  important  to  know  accurately  the  condition  of  the  c-hestnui 
in  the  counties  in  the  extreme  western  part  of  the  State.  Accordingly 
effort  was  concentrated  on  these  counties  throughout  the  summer,  and 
in  September  scouting  was  completed  and  no  blight  found  in  the  fol 
lowing  counties:  Erie,  Crawford,  Mercer,  Lawrence,  Beaver,  Washing- 
ton, Greene,  Westmoreland,  Allegheny,  Indiana,  Armstrong,  Butler. 
Jefferson,  Venango,  Cameron,  Forest  and  McKean. 

Scouting  was  also  completed  in  Fayette,  Clarion,  Elk.  Warren  and 
Potter  counties  early  in  the  Fall  and  very  slight  infections  found  in 
each.  In  Fayette  county  a single  spot  infection  was  found,  consisting 
of  eleven  trees  purchased  from  a nursery  the  preceding  year.  In  War- 
ren county  four  spots  of  infection  were  found  near  Warren.  In  one 
case  a dozen  nursery  trees  planted  in  1911  were  found  affected  with  the 
blight,  and  the  other  three  cases  were  native  trees  on  which  the  blight 
was  just  beginning.  In  Potter  and  Clarion  counties  a single  native 
tree  was  found  infected  in  each  county.  In  Elk  county  three  spots  of 
infection  were  found.  The  largest  spot  consisted  of  about  three  hun- 
dred native  trees ; the  second  spot  consisted  of  three  native  trees,  and 
the  third  spot  of  about  thirty  trees,  purchased  from  a nursery  and 
planted  in  1911.  In  the  latter  instance  the  blight  had  already  spread 
to  a native  tree  adjoining  the  infected  nursery  stock. 

When  scouting  was  completed  in  the  westernmost  counties  and 
all  known  infections  were  removed,  the  field  men  were  placed  in 
counties  further  east.  Cambria  and  Sullivan  counties  have  since 
been  completed,  work  in  Clearfield  and  Centre  is  nearing  completion 
and  the  field  force  has  been  concentrated  to  complete  the  work  in 
Somerset,  Bedford,  Blair,  Clinton  and  Tioga  counties  as  quickly  as 
possible.  A small  force  of  men  is  at  work  in  Bedford,  Fulton,  Hunt- 
ingdon, Lycoming  and  Bradford  counties.  The  latter  counties  will 
be  completed  as  soon  as  the  more  western  counties  are  finished. 

THE  CONNELLSVILLE  FUNGUS. 

In  December  1911,  Mr.  John  Iv.  Hibbs,  a Field  Agent  of  the  Com- 
mission found  a fungus  at  several  points  in  Washington  and  Fayette 
counties  which  was  apparently  the  chestnut  blight  fungus,  Diaporthe 
parasitica.  Specimens  of  this  fungus  were  submitted  to  variou^ 


23 


Hi  pathologists  who  pronounced  it  Diaporthe.  Accordingly, 
>i|  owners  of  the  trees  on  which  this  fungus  was  found 
were  notified  and  the  trees  cut  voluntarily.  However,  the 
hi  absence  of  the  characteristic  fans  of  mycelium  and  the  decided  sap- 
v rophytic  nature  of  the  fungus  showed  that  there  was  a distinction  be- 
i tween  this  and  the  virulent  blight  fungus.  It  was  at  first  thought 
it:  that  this  difference  was  due  to  the  effect  of  smoke,  which  has  done 
):  much  damage  to  the  trees  in  the  localities  where  this  fungus  is 
i found.  Detailed  scouting  early  in  the  spring  of  1911  showed  that  this 
i fungus  is  distributed  through  western  Fayette,  southern  Washington 
r.  and  Greene  counties. 

o' | When  a Field  Pathologist  was  employed  by  the  Commission  in 
1 May,  1912,  the  first  problem  he  undertook  was  to  determine  the 
: identity  and  virulence  of  the  ‘‘Connellsville  fungus”  (so-called  from 
: its  abundance  in  the  vicinity  of  Connellsville.)  Through  numerous 
tests  by  inoculations  and  extensive  investigations  in  other  directions, 


o the  Connellsville  fungus  was  proved  by  the  Field  Pathologist  to  be 
t a harmless  saprophyte  which  belongs  in  the  same  genus  as  Diaporthe 
parasitica,  but  is  a distinct  species.  The  difference  in  appearance 
between  the  two  fungi  is  very  minute,  being  principally  in  the  size 
of  the  spores.  While  this  complicates  the  situation  to  a certain 
extent,  it  is  now  possible  to  tell  with  which  species  of  fungus  we  are 
dealing.  It  is  a great  relief  to  know  that  the  southwestern  corner 
of  the  State  is  free  from  the  parasitic  species. 


An  instruction  camp  was  established  where  the  scouts  were 
given  the  necessary  training.  If  they  could  not  qualify  after  a week’s 
training,  they  were  not  employed.  After  they  were  given  a chance 
to  demonstrate  their  ability  in  practical  work  in  the  field,  men  who 
proved  most  efficient  were  promoted  to  be  Field  Agents  and  given 
charge  of  the  crews.  In  each  county,  the  Field  Agent  in  charge  made 
a preliminary  trip  through  the  county  to  get  acquainted  with  the  ter- 
ritory and  to  note  the  general  conditions.  A plan  was  then  formu- 
lated for  a more  detailed  survey.  After  this  plan  had  been  approved 
by  the  supervisor  the  county  crew  began  a careful  examination  of 
all  chestnut  timber  areas.  In  heavily  timbered  districts  the  entire 
crew  (field  agent  and  scouts)  worked  together  in  scouting.  The 
plan  usually  followed  was  to  inspect  the  timber  in  strips.  The  men 
were  placed  from  50  to  200  feet  apart,  one  man  to  each  parallel  strip. 
In  the  agricultural  districts  where  the  timbered  areas  were  small  and 
scattered  only  one  or  two  men  worked  together.  When  the  ex- 
amination of  each  tract  was  completed,  a data  card,  giving  all  the 
necessary  information  relative  to  the  tract,  was  sent  to  Field  Head- 


METHODS  OF  SCOUTING  IN  1912. 


24 


quarters.  Each  card  was  numbered  and  a corresponding  number  was 
placed  on  the  county  map  in  the  approximate  spot  where  the  tract 
was  located. 

In  the  three  extreme  western  divisions  it  soon  became  apparent 
that  there  was  little  or  no  blight,  and  in  order  to  complete  the  work 
in  a reasonable  time,  a more  general  system  of  scouting  was  adopted. 
No  attempt  was  made  to  examine  every  tree  in  the  general  scouting, 
but  all  the  chestnut  areas  were  traversed  and  a close  watch  kept 
for  dead  or  dying  branches,  unhealthy  tops  and  other  signs  of  the 
disease.  Numerous  inquiries  were  made  as  to  the  existence  of  un- 
healthy chestnut  trees,  nursery  stock  and  chestnut  orchards,  and 
when  a suspicious  case  was  reported,  a detailed  examination  was 
made. 

It  had  been  the  opinion  of  those  engaged  in  chestnut  blight  opera 
tions  outside  of  the  State  that  the  months  of  August  and  September 
were  the  best  time  of  the  year  for  scouting.  In  these  months  the  dis- 
ease kills  many  tops  and  branches  of  trees,  causing  the  so-called  “‘dan- 
ger signals.”  These  branches  with  the  dead  leaves  clinging  to  them  are 
easily  seen  on  trees  in  the  open,  but  in  the  dense  woods  the  green 
foliage  makes  it  difficult  to  find  the  smaller  dead  branches  and  small 
cankers.  In  both  1911  and  1912  it  was  demonstrated  that  fall  and 
early  winter,  after  the  leaves  had  fallen,  is  the  ideal  time  for  locating 
spot  infections.  The  dead  leaves  on  the  branches  girdled  during  the 
summer  and  early  fall  remain  on  the  diseased  parts  throughout  the 
winter  and  spring.  After  the  foliage  is  off  the  trees,  a scout  can  see 
for  long  distances  through  the  bare  tops  in  dense  woods,  and  locate 
even  very  slight  infections.  Where  the  disease  has  not  yet  com- 
pletely girdled  a section  of  the  tree,  the  cankers  are  more  easily 
seen  in  winter  because  of  the  greater  amount  of  light  admitted 
through  the  tops  of  the  trees. 

In  locating  infections  everything  depends  upon  the  man.  The  work 
of  scouting  requires  a man  with  trained  powers  of  observation,  who 
can  withstand  the  arduous  physical  exertion  required  in  tramping 
for  eight  or  ten  hours  through  dense  woods  in  a rough  country,  lie 
must  be  constantly  on  the  alert  to  detect  the  blight  in  the  tops, 
trunks  or  bases  of  trees,  and  in  case  of  doubt,  he  must  climb  the  trees 
to  investigate.  In  addition  to  this,  he  must  be  able  to  deal  tactfully 
with  all  classes  of  timber  owners  and  be  ever  ready  to  perform  the 
numerous  duties  required  of  him  in  carrying  on  an  educational  cam- 
paign in  the  community  in  which  he  is  stationed.  When  he  meets 
opposition  he  must  be  able  to  withstand  criticism  and  see  that  the 
requirements  of  the  law  are  carried  out. 

Young  men  are  best  adapted  for  the  work  of  scouting  since  tliev 
have  the  necessary  vigor  and  enthusiasm  and  are  willing  to  work 
for  low  wages.  Older  men  of  the  type  who  have  done  the  best  work 


in  scouting  are  difficult  to  obtain  for  work  of  this  character, 
since  men  of  this  sort  usually  are  settled  and  do  not  care  to  leave 
home.  Many  men  with  college  training  have  been  employed  because 
such  men  quickly  acquire  the  necessary  knowledge  of  botany  and 
forestry,  if  they  do  not  already  have  it,  and  look  on  the  experience 
gained  as  partial  compensation  for  their  services. 

METHODS  OF  ERADICATING  A SPOT  INFECTION. 

The  plan  now  being  followed  when  a spot  infection  is  found  is  to 
blaze  the  infected  trees  at  breast  height  and  also  at  the  base.  The 
official  stamp  of  the  Commission  is  then  put  on  the  blaze  with  a 
marking  hammer,  and  the  infected  trees  are  numbered  consecutively. 
On  the  other  side  of  the  tree  is  tacked  a yellow  tag,  on  which  is 
printed  brief  instructions  governing  the  disposal  of  the  tree.  When 
possible,  the  owner  is  immediately  interviewed.  If  he  can  be  induced 
to  do  so,  the  trees  are  cut  while  the  held  agent  is  on  the  premises 
and  can  locate  the  trees  for  him  in  person.  Otherwise  the  agent 
leaves  infection  sheets  with  the  owner,  in  which  are  given  the  loca- 
tions of  the  diseased  trees.  The  owner  or  person  responsible  for  the 
care  of  the  tract  is  again  interviewed  by  the  lield  agent,  who  explains 
the  nature  of  the  blight,  the  necessity  for  removal  of  the  diseased  trees 
and  the  proper  procedure  to  follow.  The  infection  sheet,  together  with 
a letter  of  intsructions  is  then  handed  the  owner.  If,  at  the  end 
of  twenty  days  the  owner  has  not  removed  the  diseased  trees,  the 
work  of  removal  is  begun  by  the  field  agent  in  charge,  with  the  help 
of  choppers  hired  for  the  purpose.  In  all  our  work  great  stress  has 
been  laid  on  the  prompt  removal  of  infections,  but  until  September, 
moral  pressure  only  was  brought  to  bear  upon  the  owners  to  secure 
their  co-operation.  In  September,  and  later,  a more  aggressive  policy 
was  adopted  and  in  the  few  cases  where  owners  refused  to  co-operate 
with  the  Commission,  the  work  was  done  by  the  Commission  and  bills 
for  the  same  presented  to  the  delinquent  owners. 

The  procedure  followed  in  destroying  infection  is  as  follows:  The 
trees  are  felled  so  as  to  leave  as  low  a stump  as  possible.  If  felled 
with  an  axe,  the  bark  is  first  removed  from  the  part  of  the  trunk 
through  which  the  cut  is  to  be  made  to  an  inch  below  the  surface  of 
the- soil.  If  felled  by  sawing,  peeling  may  be  done  after  the  tree  has 
been  cut  down.  In  either  case  the  stump  and  all  exposed  roots 
must  be  cleared  of  every  particle  of  bark  and  all  bark  removed  must 
be  carefully  collected  and  burned.  After  the  tree  is  felled,  all 
portions  above  the  stump  which  show  mycelium  or  pustules  of  the 
blight  are  peeled  of  bark  or  the  entire  piece  cut  out  and  burned. 

The  brush  from  tops,  and  portions  of  the  felled  chestnut  trees 
which  are  not  peeled  and  which  it  is  not  intended  to  utilize  must  also 
be  burned.  After  the  stump  is  peeled,  if  fire  can  be  made  over  it  with- 


26 


out  injuring  the  surrounding  trees,  the  brush  and  refuse  are  piled 
over  the  stump  and  burned  when  there  is  no  danger  of  forest  fires. 
The  fallen  leaves  around  the  stump  over  au  area  as  far  as  the  diseased 
portions  of  the  trees  extended  after  the  tree  was  felled,  are  raked 
into  the  fire  and  burned.  The  fire  must  entirely  consume  or  deeply 
char  all  of  the  material,  no  small  ends  of  branches  and  small  twigs 
being  allowed  to  remain.  If  it  is  impossible  to  make  the  fire  over  the 
stump  without  injuring  the  surrounding  trees,  the  sides  and  top  of 
the  stump  must  be  coated  with  creosote  to  prevent  any  possibility  of 
reinfection.  Portions  of  infected  trees  which  show  no  evidence  of 
the  blight  are  not  permitted  to  lie  in  the  woods  over  twenty  days  after 
felling,  but  they  maj^  be  handled  and  shipped  in  the  same  manner  as 
logs  or  wood  of  other  species  of  trees,  provided  they  are  shipped 
promptly  in  closed  cars.  If  the  wood  from  the  diseased  trees  is  not  re- 
moved from  the  woods  within  twenty  days  from  the  time  the  trees 
are  felled  it  must  be  peeled  and  the  bark  burned,  or  else  wood  and 
bark  burned.  Wood  from  diseased  trees  used  where  exposed  to  the 
weather  must  be  peeled.  Fire  wood,  if  kept  under  dry  cover,  need 
not  be  peeled. 

The  points  to  be  emphasized  in  eradicating  spot  infections  are: 

1.  Take  all  possible  care  to  prevent  injuries  to  surround- 
ing chestnut  trees  and  sprouts  in  felling  the  infected  tree.  If  it  is 
necessary  to  clear  away  brush  to  facilitate  cleaning  up  after  felling, 
any  small  chestnut  sprouts  should  be  cut  flush  with  the  ground. 
Experience  has  shown  that  such  stubs  often  become  infected  if  near 
a diseased  tree. 

2.  Cut  all  stumps  as  low  as  possible,  to  lessen  expense  of  peeling 
and  to  save  merchantable  timber  in  the  log. 

3.  Destroy  all  diseased  portions  of  the  tree  showing  pustules, 
by  burning  on  the  spot,  immediately,  either  the  bark  or  entire  sections 
of  the  tree  which  show  cankerous  areas. 

4.  Either  utilize  all  unbarked  portions  of  infected  trees  within 
a brief  time  after  they  are  cut,  or,  if  it  is  desired  to  permit  this 
material  to  remain  in  the  vicinity  of  healthy  chestnut  trees,  peel 
the  bark  from  all  portions  of  the  trees  which  it  is  desired  to  retain. 

5.  In  every  case,  peel  the  bark  clean  from  the  stumps  to  an  inch 
or  two  below  the  surface  of  the  soil.  Experience  has  shown  that  the 
stumps  of  infected  trees  and  portions  of  the  green  tops  which  are  per- 
mitted to  lie  for  several  months  on  the  ground,  are  almost  certain  to 
become  infected  if  the  bark  is  permitted  to  remain  on  them,  even 
though  no  cankers  exist  on  the  stump  at  the  time  the  tree  is  cut. 
Some  of  the  largest  spots  of  infection  have  developed  from  unpeeled 
stumps.  The  spores  germinate  on  the  sappy  surface  of  the  stump 
and  the  mycelium  grows  downward  through  the  cambium,  and  in  the 
course  of  a year  or  two  reaches  the  sprouts  which  come  up  around 


27 


the  base  of  the  stump.  Little  infection  in  the  sprouts  is  found  where 
the  stumps  have  been  carefully  peeled.  Furthermore,  the  sprouts 
have  more  vigor  and  are  better  rooted  when  they  come  from  peeled 
stumps,  since  in  this  case  they  must  start  from  beneath  the  soil  and 
can  soon  form  their  own  roots. 

RESULTS  OF  CUTTING  OUT  SPOT  INFECTION. 

Sufficient  time  has  not  elapsed  since  the  Commission  began 
work  to  determine  the  efficiency  of  sanitation  in  checking  the  disease. 
Early  in  1912  the  work  of  eradicating  spot  infections  along  the  ad- 
vance line  and  to  the  westward  was  begun.  The  general  methods  out- 
lined in  the  preceding  paragraph  were  used.  Many  facts  relating 
to  the  proper  procedure  in  destroying  infection  have  only  become 
known  as  a result  of  this  first  work,  hence  in  some  cases  the  cleaning- 
up  was  not  done  as  carefully  as  we  now  know  to  be  necessary. 

Forty-two  tracts  on  which  the  original  infection  was  cut  out  dur- 
ing the  early  part  of  1912  were  reinspected  during  November  and 
December  of  this  year.  The  number  of  diseased  trees  in  these  spots 
prior  to  cutting  ranged  from  a single  tree  to  ninety-three,  the  total 
number  of  diseased  trees  on  the  forty-two  spots  being  556.  On  re- 
inspection,  twenty-eight  out  of  the  forty-two  spots  showed  no  recur- 
rence of  the  blight ; in  three  cases  a single  new  infection  was  found, 
and  in  six  cases  there  were  two  recently  infected  trees.  The  highest 
number  of  new  infections  numbered  thirteen  trees.  In  the  forty- 
two  spots  averaging  13.25  original  infected  trees  each,  156  reinfec- 
tions occurred  or  3.7  infections  per  spot.  In  two-thirds  of  the  forty- 
two  spots  no  blight  reappeared,  and  the  new  infections  which  de- 
veloped in  the  remainder  equalled  only  two-sevenths  of  the  number  of 
trees  originally  diseased.  These  spots  were  located  in  the  region  of 
very  slight  infection  in  Elk,  Clearfield,  Centre  and  Fulton  Counties. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  spot  infections  studied  was  one  which 
covered  about  ten  acres  located  near  Orbisonia  in  central  Hunting- 
don county.  In  the  fall  of  1911,  271  infections,  mostly  on  4 year 
old  stump  sprouts,  were  discovered.  During  March,  1912,  the  in- 
fections on  this  tract  were  cut  out  and  burned.  A re-examination 
was  made  in  October,  1912,  and  eighty-two  new  infections  were 
found.  These  infections  were  mostly  on  small  branches  and  about 
one-eighth  of  them  must  have  existed  last  year  when  the  tract  was 
scouted,  but  were  so  small  that  they  were  missed.  The  remainder 
apparently  developed  blight  this  year,  undoubtedly  from  poor  work 
in  burning  the  infections.  At  least,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
all  but  thirteen  of  the  82  new  infections  were  within  a hundred  feet 
radius  of  last  year’s  infections  which  were  not  very  carefully 
burned. 


2S 


OCCURRENCE  OF  SPOT  INFECTIONS. 

Spot  infections  of  the  blight  appear  in  all  kinds  of  locations. 
Some  are  in  small  woodlots,  others  far  within  the  boundaries  of 
large  reserves;  while  in  .some  cases  they  are  near  roads  and  rail- 
roads; in  other  cases  they  are  far  from  the  routes  of  travel. 
Some  are  in  the  valleys,  others  on  the  highest  elevations,  some  are 
in  moist  soil,  others  in  very  dry  soil.  A number  of  large  in- 
fections along  the  advance  line  are  located  in  gaps  in  the  mountains 
where  the  wind  sweeps  through,  and  in  upland  benches,  draws, 
ravines  and  other  depressions,  where  it  is  likely  that  there  are  con- 
stant air  currents.  The  examinations  of  spot  infections  show  that 
in  practftally  every  case  the  disease  starts  on  a single  tree,  which 
may  be  located  miles  from  any  other  infection.  The  disease  is  ; 
then  communicated  to  the  trees  immediately  surrounding  the  original 
infected  tree,  forming  an  irregular  spot  which  is  usually  more  or 
less  elliptical  in  form.  After  the  spot  assumes  considerable  propor- 
tions, scattered  diseased  trees  appear  at  some  distance  from  the  ! 
central  infection,  in  the  midst  of  healthy  chestnut. 

The  rate  of  spread  of  the  blight  from  the  original  center  of  infec-  , 
tion  appears  to  vary  greatly,  according  to  the  condition  of  the 
chestnut  trees  in  the  vicinity  of  the  infection.  Where  the  chestnut 
trees  are  sound,  vigorous  and  healthy,  the  spread  is  apparently  less  . 
rapid  than  where  the  trees  are  injured  by  storms,  insects,  fire, 
drought  or  other  agencies. 

An  example  of  the  slow  spread  from  a centre  of  infection  was  I 
found  in  Elk  county  near  St.  Marys.  The  accompanying  diagram 
shows  the  center  of  this  spot  infection  to  be  100  feet  from  a public- 
road  in  a dense  stand  of  chestnut  sprouts  about  15  years  old.  The  j 
original  infection  probably  occurred  sometime  in  190S.  A short 
time  afterwards  (Spring  of  1909)  two  other  trees  from  the  same  * 
stump  as  the  original  infection  and  three  trees  on  a stump  77  feet 
to  the  east  were  infected.  In  1910,  24  trees,  in  1911.  100  trees,  and 
in  1912,  166  trees  wire  infected,  making  the  total  number  in  the  j 
spot  296  trees.  The  spread  of  the  infection  to  the  east  was  greater  j 
than  in  any  other  direction.  The  most  distant  infection  in  this  ] 
spot  was  1250  feet  from  the  original  center.  In  contrast  to  this.  I 
a spot  infection  in  Somerset  county  may  be  cited.  Here  the  original 
infection  occurred  in  1908.  The  disease  was  apparently  carried  from  ? 
a chestnut  orchard  in  eastern  Pennsylvania  on  diseased  scions  of  j 
chestnut  which  were  grafted  on  native  sprouts  in  Somerset  county. 
In  all  about  100  trees  were  so  grafted  aud  it  is  on  these  trees  that 
the  oldest  cankers  have  been  found.  With  this  orchard  as  a center 
the  disease  has  spread  over  an  area  about  four  miles  wide  and  six 
miles  long.  A thorough  scouting  in  1912  revealed  6700  infected  trees 


29 


and  this  number  is  being  constantly  increased  by  additional  in- 
fections found  as  new  tracts  are  scouted.  The  rapid  spread  of  the 
blight  in  this  region  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  these  trees  were 
severely  injured  by  storms  in  1911  and  3912. 

The  most  interesting  fact  secured  through  Ihe  field  work  in 
1912  is  the  advance  which  the  disease  has  made  in  the  mountainous 
region  in. the  central  part  of  the  State.  The  heavy  line  on  the  map 
shows  the  line  of  general  advance  as  it  exists  at  the  present  time. 
In  the  strip  between  this  year’s  advance  line  and  the  dotted  line 
denoting  the  advance  line  as  determined  in  1911,  the  blight  has 
appeared  in  a great  number  of  spots  where  its  presence  could  not 
be  detected  last  year  or  early  in  the  summer  of  1912.  In  a great 
many  instances,  large  spot  infections  became  apparent  during  Sep- 
tember and  October  of  the  present  year  where  previously  only  a few 
infected  trees  had  been  found  or  none  at  all.  Just  east  of  last  year's 
advance  line,  in  the  Pennvpacker  and  Kothrock  forest  reserves,  crews 
of  men  were  engaged  in  locating  and  removing  infected  trees  through- 
out the  summer  and  fall,  but  in  spite  of  this  the  number  of  infected 
trees  which  constantly  appeared  was  so  large  that  it  has  been 
impossible  to  clear  the  blight  from  these  reserves  up  to  the  present 
time.  In  the  heart  of  the  Eothroek  reserve  an  area  of  blight,  several 
hundred  acres  in  extent,  appeared  in  mid-summer  where  no  in- 
fections had  previously  been  discernible.  It  is  characteristic  of 
the  infections  in  this  region  this  year  that  they  are  mainly  on  twigs 
! and  small  branches  in  the  tops  of  the  trees.  It  is  thought  that  the 
extremely  wet  weather  in  the  spring,  summer  and  fall  of  3 912  had 
some  relation  to  the  rapid  spread  of  the  blight  in  this  section. 

INCREASING  THE  EFFICIENCY  OF  THE  CUTTING-OUT  METHOD  OF 

CONTROL. 

The  magnitude  of  the  task  before  the  Commission  must  be  con- 
sidered. The  report  of  the  Secretary  of  Internal  Affairs  for  1911 
gives  the  acreage  of  timber  land  in  Pennsylvania  on  which  taxes 
I are  paid  as  7,428,228  acres.  To  this  must  be  added  nearly  a million 
acres  of  forest  reserves  and  more  than  a million  acres  of  woodlots  and 
limber  tracts  located  in  townships  for  which  no  figures  appear  in 
this  report.  A very  conservative  estimate  places  the  average  per- 
centage of  chestnut  in  the  forests  of  the  State  as  slightly  in  excess 
of  20  per  cent  or  about  one-fifth  of  the  stand. 

The  western  district  contains  at  least  0,500,000  acres  of  wood- 
; land.  This  entire  area  must  be  scouted  since  there  are  few  localities 
: where  the  chestnut  is  absent,  and  until  the  land  has  been  actually 
i gone  over  it  is  not  certain  that  no  blight  exists.  Even  though  the 
! percent  of  chestnut  is  small,  the  blight,  if  present,  may  spread  to 
adjoining  areas  with  a higher  percentage  of  chestnut.  The  number 


30 


of  acres  inspected  per  man  per  day  in  the  western  district  has 
averaged  50  acres.  At  this  rate,  paying  inspectors  at  the  rate  of 
20  cents  per  hour,  it  would  cost  4 cents  per  acre  or  a total  of 
$260,000  to  thoroughly  scout  the  forest  areas  in  the  western  district. 

In  the  eastern  district  there  are  at  least  3,000,000  acres  of  wood- 
land. Allowing  the  sum  of  2 cents  per  acre  for  the  instruction  of 
timber  owners  and  the  work  in  utilization  in  this  district,  the  cost 
to  the  State  would  be  $60,000.  The  total  cost  of  the  work  in  both 
divisions  thus  amounts  to  $320,000. 


FIELD  WORK  IN  THE  EASTERN  DISTRICT  IN  1912. 


The  eastern  district  was  subdivided  into  five  divisions,  each 
division  being  placed  in  charge  of  a supervisor.  Previous  to  July, 
1912,  only  a few  men  were  employed  in  this  division.  Since  July, 
however,  there  has  been  one  or  more  field  agents  employed  almost 
continuously  in  each  county  in  the  district. 

It  is  the  policy  in  this  district  to  carry  on  three  lines  of  work, 
namely,  field  demonstrations,  educational  work  and  utilization  in- 
vestigations. In  held  demonstration,  a field  agent  goes  to  a 
property  owner,  takes  him  into  the  woods  and  shows  him  the 
symptoms  and  ravages  of  the  blight.  An  inspection  is  not  made 
unless  the  owner  or  tenant  is  present.  In  this  way  some  action 
usually  follows  inspection,  since  the  owner  or  tenant  learns  the 
nature  of  the  disease  and  realizes  the  importance  of  endeavoring  to, 
check  its  progress.  The  knowledge  of  the  blight  possessed  by  the 
majority  of  timber  owners  is  the  single  fact  that  a ‘“blight'’  is  j 
destroying  the  chestnut  trees  around  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  : 
They  have  the  vague  impression  that  it  is  due  to  an  insect.  These  ' 
owners  are  usually  surprised  to  learn  that  the  blight  has  already 
made  its  appearance  in  their  timber.  The  ordinary  observer  seldom 
notices  the  blight  until  the  disease  is  so  firmly  established  as  to  be 
beyond  hope  of  control.  A very  large  number  fail  to  notice  the 
diseased  condition  of  their  trees  even  after  the  blight  has  killed 
many  trees  and  partially  destroyed  their  commercial  value. 

The  eastern  district  has  not  been  as  thoroughly  scouted  as  the 
western  district,  since  the  complete  organization  of  the  work  in  the 
west  took  precedence  over  the  work  in  the  east.  However,  considerable 
data  have  been  collected  in  each  county  which  are  embodied  in  the 
accompanying  map  showing  the  geographic  extent  of  the  disease.! 
The  disease  is  most  prevalent  in  the  tier  of  counties  along  the' 


NOTE. 


Figs.  2,  7,  9,  13,  IS,  and  70  are  from  photographs  made  by  E.  T.  Kirk. 
Figs.  39,  41,  42,  48  and  49  are  from  photographs  made  by  Wm.  Bovie.  All 
other  illustrations  were  photographed  by  Mr.  Wm.  Currie , the  Commission 
photographer,  under  the  supervision  of  the  respective  departments  to  which 
they  are  credited. 


Fig.  1. 

Young  chestnut  tree  with  top  killed  by  Blight.  Note  drooping,  shriveled  leaves 
and  dense  growth  of  sprouts  below  the  canker.  Valley  Forge,  Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  2. 

Cankers  on  sprouts  killed  by  Blight,  near  Oxford,  Chester  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania. 


Fig.  3. 

Native  chestnut  trees  dying  from  Blight.  Valley  Forge,  Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  4. 

Native  chestnut  shade  trees  attacked  by  blight.  Philadelphia , Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  5. 

Grafted  chestnut  trees  in  orchard  attacked  by  blight.  Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  G. 

Young  stand  of  chestnut  killed  by  blight,  Valley  Forge,  Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  T. 

Blighted  chestnut  tree  showing  how  “The  Danger  Signals’’  appear  in  winter. 


Fig.  8. 

Chestnut  shade  tree  with  branch  billed  by  Blight.  Note  withered  leaves. 
Philadelphia , Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  ‘J. 

Sprouts  killed  by  blight  on  tract  near  Oxford,  in  Chester  County,  Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  10. 

Chestnut  shade  tree  killed  by  blight.  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Fig.  11. 

Chestnut  trees  in  orchard,  killed  by  chestnut  blight.  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  12. 

Diseased  chestnut  trees  girdled  at  the  top , showing  how  the  persistent  leaves  cling 
to  the  dead  branches  after  the  foliage  from  the  healthy  part  has  fallen. 


Fig.  13. 

Virgin  forest  of  chestnut  and  white  pine  in  Warren  County,  Pennsylvania.  Two 
chestnut  trees  two  feet  in  diameter;  white  pine  in  back  ground,  40  inches  in 
diameter. 


Fig.  14. 

Center  of  infection  in  spot  infection  of  296  trees  located  in  Benzinger  township.  Elk 
County,  Pennsylvania.  The  blight  probably  started  on  this  tree  in  1908. 


Fig.  iij. 

General  view  of  dead  trees  killed  by  the  blight  near  Oxford.  Chester  County,  Penn- 
sylvania. 


Fig.  Hi. 

Chestnut  trees  broken  by  sleet  storm,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania. 


Fig.  IT. 

Spot  infection  in  Bedford  County,  consisting  of  sixteen  large  chestnut  trees. 


Fig.  IS. 

Chestnut  sapling  broken  by  sleet  storm.  The  blight  had  entered  this  tree  where 
it  was  broken.  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania. 


It  of  spot  infection  of  296  trees  illustrating  the  rate  of  spread  of  Jllight  from  a center.  The  original  infection  occurred  ab|  carefuiiy  watching  this 

considerably  ahead  of  the  general  line  of  advance  mtection  296  diseased  trees  were  cut  out  in  November,  1912 

it,  it  is  expected  that  the  Blight  can  be  kept  from  gaining  headway  Elk  0olmty 


Fig.  20. 

Map  of  Mcimoe  Township,  Juniata  County,  showing  distribution  of  spot  infections  found  by  detailed  scouting.  Number  of  diseased 

trees  shown  in  center  of  circles. 


n*.  ai. 

Strip  -i.n.y  of  southern  York  County,  showing  decrvii»e  of  percentage  of  llliiiht,  wmt  of  a center  of  infection.  A spot  infection  apparently  oil sled  in  the  vicinity  of  Delta  (shown  by  triangle  ou  mupi  ns  early  » I'."'.'  figures  Inside  <lot» 

ludicutc  pa iwntngu  of  infection. 


31 


southern  border  of  the  State  from  Bucks  to  York,  and  it  ap- 
pears to  radiate  from  this  section  as  a center.  Even  where 
the  percentage  of  disease  is  very  low  the  evidence  of  the  charac- 
teristic spot  infections  is  present.  At  the  center  of  these  old  spots 
the  trees  are  all  diseased  and  often  a majority  of  them  are  dead  or 
nearly  so.  Proceeding  in  any  direction  from  such  a center,  a lower 
percentage  of  the  trees  are  found  to  be  affected,  and  on  the  outer 
edges  of  the  spots  areas  are  found  which  show  no  disease.  Where 
the  blight  is  very  prevalent,  the  spots  are  so  numerous  and  have  so 
completely  mingled  that  it  appears  to  be  a solid  infection. 

The  progress  of  the  disease  near  Philadelphia  is  shown  by  some 
figures  recently  collected.  In  October  and  November  1910,  the  De- 
partment of  Forestry  inspected  the  trees  in  the  suburbs  of  Phila- 
delphia in  co-operation  with  the  Main  Line  Citizens  Association. 
Out  of  1637  chestnut  trees  on  ten  tracts  in  this  locality  inspected  at 
that  time,  thirty-one  percent  were  found  infected,  and  twenty-nine 
percent  were  reported  as  doubtful.  In  December  1912,  a reinspection 
of  these  tracts  was  made  and  seventy-nine  percent  of  the  trees  were 
found  diseased.  In  the  Northern  and  Western  counties  of  the  east- 
ern division  the  blight  occurs  in  small  scattered  spots.  The  ac- 
companying map  of  Monroe  township,  Juniata  County,  Avhich  shows 
the  spot  infections  found  by  a thorough  scouting  of  this  township  in 
1912,  illustrates  the  progress  of  the  blight  across  the  State.  The 
work  on  the  Pennypacker  forest  reserve  in  western  Perry  county 
illustrates  the  steady  increase  of  the  blight.  In  1911,  656  infections 
were  destroyed  on  this  reserve  on  an  area  of  1,620  acres.  On  the 
completion  of  this  work  this  area  was  apparently  free  from  blight. 
In  1912  new  infections  appeared.  Portions  of  this  same  area  were 
rescouted  two  and  even  three  times,  with  the  result  that  2.447  in- 
fections were  found  and  1,897  infections  cut  out.  This  is  at  the 
rate  of  1.2  infected  trees  per  acre.  In  connection  with  the  preceding 
discussion  of  the  cost  of  sanitation,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the 
cost  of  scouting  and  removing  the  blight  from  this  area  was  73 
cents  per  acre.  The  cost  of  scouting  was  30  cents  per  infected  tree; 
the  cost  of  removal  of  each  infection  averaged  22  cents,  making  a 
total  cost  of  52  cents  per  infection.  This  work  was  thoroughly 
supervised  and  the  cost  is  as  low  as  it  is  possible  for  such  work  to 
be  done  and  done  thoroughly. 

UTILIZATION  AND  METHODS  OF  CUTTING. 

The  blight  is  so  prevalent  in  the  eastern  district  that  apparently 
the  only  course  of  procedure  practical  is  the  utilization  of  all  diseased 
chestnut  trees  as  rapidly  as  possible.  In  this  district,  therefore,  the 
Commission  up  to  the  present  time  has  not  forced  cutting  of  diseased 

3 


82 


trees,  except  that  all  diseased  trees  must  be  removed  within  ; 
distance  of  one-half  mile  from  the  nearest  boundary  of  all  chestnu 
orchards  or  nurseries,  the  owners  of  which  are  themselves  applying 
adequate  protective  measures.  In  all  other  portions  of  the  distric 
cutting  is  optional  with  the  owners,  but  it  is  urged  on  the  owners  o 
chestnut  timber  in  this  region  to  cut  all  diseased  trees,  and  when 
the  amount  of  blight  is  SO  per  cent,  or  more,  both  diseased  and  soum 
trees,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  the  full  value  from  the  merchantabh 
products  of  these  trees  and  also  to  reduce  the  chances  of  furthei 
infection  and  lessen  the  distribution  of  the  disease  from  east  to  west 

Owners  of  valuable,  ornamental,  shade  or  orchard  trees  are  recoin 
mended  to  use  the  surgical  method  outlined  in  Bulletin  No.  2 o 
this  Commission.  Trees  so  treated  should  be  inspected  for  re 
occurrence  of  the  blight  every  six  weeks  from  April  1st  to  Novembei 
1st,  and  the  trees  or  diseased  parts  promptly  treated  as  found  neces 
sary.  Immediately  following  the  cutting  of  diseased  trees,  all  stump; 
should  be  peeled  clean  of  bark  to  the  ground  line  and  all  brush  froir 
tops,  bark  fragments  and  other  refuse  burned,  so  that  sound  sprout; 
will  be  developed.  Stumps  should  be  cut  low  and  the  burning  done 
directly  over  the  stumps  wherever  practicable.  All  felled  chestnul 
trees  whether  diseased  or  not  should  be  immediately  removed  from 
the  woods  and  utilized,  so  that  they  may  not  become  a breeding  pi  act 
for  the  blight  fungus.  Shipment  of  blighted  wood  must  be  made 
in  closed  cars. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  work  in  the  East  the  importance  ol 
utilizing  the  diseased  timber  has  been  emphasized.  Throughout  the 
summer  the  field  agents  were  instructed  to  urge  utilization  al 
all  times  and  to  give  the  owners  general  information  as  to 
the  various  ways  in  which  the  diseased  wood  could  be  used.  An 
effort  has  been  made  to  keep  only  those  men  who  are  best  qualified 
for  work  of  this  character  on  the  force.  The  most  difficult  material 
to  utilize  is  small  stuff,  which  can  only  be  used  for  cordwood.  The  men 
are  instructed  to  keep  in  close  touch  with  the  office  of  utilization  in 
order  that  the  most  helpful  suggestions  may  be  given  to  owners. 

EFFICIENCY  OF  THE  CUTTING-OUT  METHOD  EAST  OF  THE  ADVANCE 

LINE. 

In  order  to  get  information  concerning  the  effectiveness  of  two 
different  methods  of  cutting  out  diseased  chestnut,  a stump  to  stump 
count  of  100  stumps  each  was  made  in  November  1912,  on  two  differ- 
ent tracts  located  at  Haverford.  In  one  of  the  woodlots  the  infected 
trees  were  cut  in  the  fall  of  1910,  and  the  stumps  peeled,  and  all 
brush  destroyed  by  burning,  but  the  burning  was  not  done  over  the 


33 


stumps.  On  this  tract  a hundred  stumps  had  1354  vigorous  sprouts, 
on  254  of  which  the  blight  was  present.  Ln  other  words  82  per  cent 
of  these  sprouts  were  free  from  disease  and  of  I he  infected  sprouts, 
99,  or  39  per  cent  were  infected  at  the  base  mostly  from  diseased  bark 
left  on  the  stump. 

The  second  tract,  used  for  comparison  with  this,  is  located  about 
one-half  mile  distant  from  the  first  tract  and  was  cut  about  the  same 
time.  The  brush  w'as  burned  and  all  the  merchantable  wood  used, 
but  the  stumps  were  not  peeled.  As  near  as  could  be  determined,  the 
two  woodlots  received  identical  treatment  except  that  the  stumps 
were  peeled  in  one  case  while  they  were  left  with  the  bark  on  in 
the  other.  On  this  tract  the  100  stumps  had  1406  vigorous  sprouts, 
1115,  or  79.3  per  cent  of  which  were  infected,  22.2  of  the  infections 
were  basal. 

The  above  mentioned  results  indicate  that  by  careful  work,  the 
majority  of  these  sprouts  which  come  from  diseased  stumps  may  be 
kept  free  if  tbe  stumps  are  peeled  and  charred.  Creosote  has  been 
used  to  coat  stumps,  after  peeling,  instead  of  charring  them,  with 

good  results. 

In  March,  1912,  120  stumps  of  diseased  chestnut  trees  in  Lebanon 
county  were  carefully  peeled  and  charred.  When  re-examined  in 
November  1912,  the  sprouts  on  only  12  of  these  stumps  were  infected, 
and  of  these  12,  9 had  been  improperly  peeled  and  burned. 

DECREASE  IN  RATE  OF  SPREAD  OF  THE  BLIGHT. 

A number  of  reports  have  been  received  from  foresters  and  timber 
owners  in  Pike  and  Monroe  counties  that  the  blight  in  these  couni  ies 
is  apparently  losing  its  virulence  and  not  spreading.  Some  observers 
were  of  the  opinion  that  infected  trees  were  recovering  from  the 
disease,  in  some  cases.  To  test  this  matter  Mr.  K.  E.  Hockey,  of  the 
Commission,  laid  off  several  sample  plots  near  Shawnee,  Pa.,  last 
June.  The  condition  of  the  trees  on  these  plots  were  carefully  noted. 
rV  re-examination  was  made  recently  and  it  was  found  that  the  cankers 
enlarged  during  the  summer  at  slightly  less  than  the  rate  noted  by 
the  field  pathologists  in  other  parts  of  the  State.  The  spores  are 
produced  in  a normal  manner  and  have  normal  vitality.  The  disease 
was  also  found  to  be  spreading  from  infected  trees  to  healthy  ones 
and  to  other  parts  of  the  same  tree  but  apparently  the  infection  of 
healthy  sprouts  and  trees  is  not  proceeding  as  rapidly  as  in  other 
portions  of  the  State,  where  accurate  observations  have  been  made. 

FOREST  FIRES. 

The  employees  of  the  Commission  have  been  appointed  Deputy  Fire 
Wardens  (unsalaried)  by  the  Department  of  Forestry.  Durin 
November,  field  agents  of  the  Commission  took  charge  in  extinguishin 


fcC  6C 


34 


eight  large  forest  fires.  Over  7,000  acres  of  timber  land  was  burned 
over  in  these  fires.  Only  one  forest  fire  is  known  to  have  occurred  as 
a result  of  burning  infections.  The  fire  started  while  burning  brush 
in  an  enforced  cutting.  About  five  acres  of  woodland  were  burned 
over  before  the  fire  was  extinguished. 

Respectfully  submitted, 


SAMUEL  IL  DETWILER, 
General  Superintendent. 


l-.AISri-.KN  1 >1 STKIO. 


35 


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EASTERN  DISTRICT— Continued. 


36 


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WESTERN  D I STR ICT— Continued. 


38 


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WESTERN  D I S T R I C T— Co  n tinned. 


39 


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PATHOLOGICAL  INVESTIGATIONS. 
(Figs.  22-38.) 


The  pathological  investigations  in  charge  of  Dr.  F.  D.  Heald  are 
conducted  in  Philadelphia  in  the  Zoological  Building  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania.  Dr.  Heald  was  not  appointed  until  August  16th,  . 
and  has,  therefore,  only  been  able  to  make  a fairly  good  beginning 
in  the  work.  In  addition  to  the  pathological  work,  Dr.  Heald  is  re- 
sponsible for  the  training  of  scouts  and' for  the  inspection  of  nursery 
stock. 

INSTRUCTION  OF  SCOUTS. 

The  training  of  scouts  was  begun  in  the  Commission  laboratories  on 
September  23rd  and  since  that  time  a total  of  twenty-six  have  been 
enrolled.  It  has  required  from  five  days  to  two  weeks  for  each 
scout  to  complete  the  course  outlined.  This  length  of  time  has  varied 
in  accordance  with  the  previous  preparation  and  experience  of  the 
men  employed.  The  proper  training  of  scouts  is  considered  to  be  as 
essential  as  research  work,  and  it  has  been  necessary  to  devote  a con- 
siderabe  amount  of  energy  to  this  work. 

IDENTIFICATION  OF  SPECIMENS. 

As  soon  as  the  laboratory  had  been  equipped,  specimens  received  by 
the  Commission  Office  for  identification  were  turned  over  to  this  labo- 
ratory for  examination.  The  accurate  determination  of  the  specimens 
lias  required  a considerable  amount  of  time,  involving  both  cultures 
and  microscopic  examinations.  In  addition  to  the  specimens  of  Dia- 
porthe  parasitica  which  predominate,  various  other  fungi  growing 
upon  the  chestnut,  have  been  submitted.  Some  of  these  have  been 
mistaken  for  Diaporthe  by  those  not  familiar  with  the  nature  of  the 
fungus. 

GERMINATION  OF  THE  SPORES  OF  DIAPORTHE. 

In  order  to  get  the  characteristic  type  of  growth  of  young  Diaporthe 
colonies  in  Petri  dish  cultures,  a preliminary  study  has  been  made  of 
germination  in  agar  hanging-block  cultures  of  both  ascospores  and 
conidiospores.  This  particular  feature  is  fundamental  in  analytic 
work  on  dissemination.  The  ascospore  cultures  were  made  from 
ascospores  shot  upon  sterile  slides.  A drop  of  sterile  bouillon  was 
placed  over  a spore  print  on  a slide  and  dilutions  made  from  this  to 
a second  drop  of  bouillion  on  a sterile  slide  and  the  planting  made 
directly  from  the  spore  dilution. 

It  was  found  that  germination  of  conidiospores  is  much  slower  than 
the  germination  of  ascospores.  This  probably  explains  the  fact  that 
a smaller  percentage  of  successful  infections  is  secured  in  artificial  in- 
oculations with  conidiospores  than  with  ascospores.  At  the  end  of 
twenty-four  hours  the  germ  tube  of  conidiospores  is  only  slightly  in 
excess  of  or  sometimes  double  the  length  of  the  swollen  spore.  During 


41 


i the  first  part  of  the  germination  period  the  spore  swells  until  it  is  oval 
| or  oblong  in  form  and  its  diameter  is  slightly  in  excess  of  that  of 
the  germ  tube  that  is  to  be  produced.  (See  figures  36-37). 

DIE  FERENTIATION  OH1  ASCOSPORE  AND  CONIDIOSPORE  COLONIES  ON 

PETRI  DISH  CULTURES. 

The  tests  made  in  hanging  drop  cultures  in  regard  to  the  rapidity 
i of  germination  of  the  two  types  of  spores  suggested  the  possibility  of 
differentiating  ascospore  colonies  and  conidiospore  colonies  by  their 
I rate  of  growth.  The  results  of  comparative  cultures  of  ascospores 
and  conidiospores  on  3 per  cent,  glucose  agar,  plus  10,  by  the  common 
poured  plate  method  show  that  the  ascospore  colonies  become  visible 
and  conspicuous  when  the  conidiospore  colonies  are  still  minute. 

THE  RELATION  OF  INSECTS  TO  THE  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT  DISEASE. 

The  part  which  insects  play  in  the  dissemination  of  the  blight  is 
one  of  the  topics  that  is  being  investigated  in  co-operation  with  the 
Entomologist. 

An  examination  has  been  made  by  means  of  cultures  of  small  insect 
galls  occuring  on  one  year  shoots  of  the  chestnut  to  determine  whether 
an  infection  had  already  taken  place.  The  insects  causing  these  galls 
are  not  available  at  this  time  of  the  year  but  they  are  designated  in 
this  report  as  Diptera  species. 

The  number  of  tests  made  is  not  sufficient  upon  which  to  base  any 
accurate  conclusions  and  the  work  will  be  continued  and  a large  num- 
ber of  similar  galls  from  various  portions  of  the  State  will  be  tested. 

Some  cultures  have  been  made  also  to  determine  whether  certain 
insects  frequenting  blight  lesions  were  carrying  spores,  with  negative 
results. 

NURSERY  STOCK  AND  DISSEMINATION. 

In  connection  with  the  work  of  inspection  of  chestnut  tree  nursery 
stock,  a list  is  kept  of  trees  shipped  by  the  nurseries  of  this  State  with 
their  destination.  The  places  to  which  nursery  stock  is  shipped  in 
this  State  will  later  be  visited  by  an  agent  of  the  Commission  to  deter- 
mine to  what  extent  any  of  these  become  centres  of  infection.  The 
list  of  ti'ees  sent  to  adjacent  states  will  be  furnished  to  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture. 

The  inspection  of  nursery  stock  has  suggested  the  possibility  that 
chestnut  blight  might  be  carried  by  other  nursery  stock  than  the 
chestnut.  Since  the  spores  of  Diaporthe  are  known  to  be  carried  by 
the  wind,  they  might  settle  upon  the  surface  of  any  nursery  stock 
growing  in  the  vicinity  of  diseased  chestnut  trees. 

In  order  to  determine  the  effect  of  the  ordinary  nursery  fumigation 
upon  the  spores  of  the  blight  fungus,  an  experiment  was  conducted  at 
one  of  the  principal  nurseries  of  the  State  in  which  twelve  twigs 


42 


of  chestnut  were  immersed  in  water  containing  ascospores  and 
then  allowed  to  dry.  Six  of  these  were  placed  in  a sterile  capsule 
as  a check  and  six  placed  in  a fumigator  and  subjected  to  the  usual 
fumigation.  Twelve  similar  twigs  were  immersed  in  water  containing 
conidiospores  and  subjected  to  the  same  treatment.  The  result 
of  this  experiment  was  that  the  the  usual  fumigation  had  no  effect 
whatever  upon  the  spores  of  the  blight  fungus. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  various  experiments  have  been  conducted 
and  are  now  under  way  to  determine  the  effect  of  cold  upon  the  growth 
of  the  blight  fungus  in  cultures  and  also  the  comparative  effects  of 
light  and  darkness  upon  cultures  of  the  same  fungus.  This  work  is 
much  facilitated  by  having  available  a series  of  constant  temperature 
rooms  making  it  possible  to  test  temperatures  from  below  freezing  up 
to  the  maximum  temperature  at  which  growth  is  possible. 

Eesults  of  other  experiments  recently  made  show: — - 

First,  that  conidiospores  do  not  germinate  in  extracts  of  soil.  This 
is  important  in  indicating  the  possibility  of  their  persistence  when 
washed  to  the  ground. 

Second,  the  expulsion  of  ascopores  from  the  peritliecia  is  dependent 
upon  temperature  as  well  as  moisture.  In  all  tests  made  to  date  no 
expulsion  has  occurred  when  the  bark  bearing  the  peritliecia  has  been 
kept  at  a temperature  less  than  52  degrees  Fahr. 

PUBLICATION. 

A bulletin  is  being  written  describing  more  in  detail  the  charac- 
ters of  the  organism  causing  the  blight  than  has  been  heretofore 
given.  It  will  be  accompanied  by  numerous  illustrations  and  will  be 
ready  for  publication  within  a few  weeks. 


FIELD  INVESTIGATIONS  IN  PATHOLOGY. 


Field  investigations  of  the  chestnut  blight  fungus  have  been  con- 
ducted for  a considerable  time  under  the  immediate  direction  of  Mr. 
P.  J.  Anderson.  A considerable  series  of  experiments  have  been  con- 
ducted in  much  detail.  Among  many  things  that  have  been  learned 
there  are  two  that  are  important  and  have  much  practical  bearing  in 
our  efforts  to  eradicate  the  blight  fungus. 

THE  CONNELLSVILLE  FOBM  OF  FUNGUS. 

First — As  stated  in  the  report  of  the  General  Superintendent  much 
difficulty  was  encountered  in  the  scouting  work  because  of  the  condi- 
tion early  apparent  that  the  fungus  as  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Con- 


43 


nellsville  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  State  was  harmless  to  the 
trees  which  it  infested.  This  condition  led  to  thorough  investiga- 
tion of  the  nature  of  this  form  of  fungus  compared  with  the  usual  type 
that  is  found  generally  over  the  State,  and  it  was  learned  that  it  dif- 
fers considerably  from  the  usual  form  in  several  respects.  The  size  and 
form  of  the  spores  are  different.  The  behavior  in  culture  media  is 
quite  different,-  and  artificial  inoculations  with  the  Connellsville  form 
on  young,  healthy  trees  do  not  produce  the  usual  cankers.  A rather 
complete  description  of  this  form  of  fungus  has  been  published  in  Vol- 
ume 2,  Number  5 of  “Phytopathology.” 

A more  recent  and  detailed  technical  description  of  the  Connells- 
ville fungus,  under  the  new  name  of  “Endothia  Virginia,”  has  been 
published  by  Mr.  Anderson  and  his  brother  Mr.  H.  W.  Anderson,  in 
Volume  2,  Number  6 of  “Phytopathology,”  pages  261-262. 

A manuscript  describing  the  Connellsville  fungus  and  including  in- 
formation additional  to  that  given  in  the  paper  in  “Phytopatho- 
logy,” has  been  submitted  by  Mr.  Anderson,  and  is  intended  for  pub- 
lication as  one  of  the  bulletins  of  this  Commission. 

DISSEMINATION  OF  THE  FUNGUS. 

Second : — Numerous  experiments  have  been  performed  to  determine 
whether  or  not  the  chestnut  blight  fungus  is  disseminated  by  means  of 
the  wind.  It  was  soon  found  that  the  ascopores  of  the  perithecial  or 
second  stage  of  the  fungus  are  much  more  easily  and  rapidly  dispersed 
than  was  thought  at  first.  In  nature  after  a rain,  or  when  the  pustules 
are  artificially  moistened,  these  ascospores  are  shot  out  into  the  air 
to  a distance  of  as  much  as  one  inch  at  regular  intervals  and  with 
considerable  rapidity.  Agar  plates  placed  at  different  distances  from 
moistened  pustules  have  caught  these  spores  before  falling  to  the 
ground  up  to  a distance  of  fifty  feet  from  the  starting  point. 

Other  experiments  have  shown  that  the  blight  may  be  caused  by 
catching  these  spores  in  artificial  wounds  made  in  trees  at  similar 
distances  from  the  shooting  pustles.  It  seems  natural  to  infer  from 
these  experiments  and  others  conducted,  the  details  of  which  cannot 
be  here  given,  that  the  fungus  is  easily  and  rapidly  disseminated  lo- 
cally, at  least,  by  means  of  ascospores  carried  by  the  air. 

A paper  giving  the  details  of  various  experiments  performed  leading 
to  the  conclusion  above  stated  has  been  submitted  to  be  published  as 
another  bulletin  of  this  Commission. 

GROWTH  OF  THE  FUNGUS  IN  THE  WINTER. 

It  has  been  found  that  the  growth  and  appearance  of  the  blight 
canker  is  quite  different  in  late  Fall  and  Winter,  than  during  the  Sum- 


44 


mer.  The  fungus  does  not  advance  into  the  healthy  tissue  in  fan- 
shaped mats  of  mycelium.  The  edge  of  the  canker  is  more  regular  and 
is  circumscribed  by  a black  line  between  the  healthy  and  dead  tissue, 
which  line  was  not  there  during  the  Summer.  The  average  growth 
in  diameter  of  fifty-three  cankers,  for  October  was  1.92  cm.  For 
twenty-two  days  of  November  and  all  of  December  cankers  showed 
no  increase  in  diameter,  indicating  that  the  weather  had  become  too 
cold.  No  inoculations  made  during  October,  November  and  December 
show  any  signs  of  infection.  Whether  the  spores  will  remain  and 
begiu  growth  when  the  weather  becomes  warm  again,  is  yet  to  be 
determined. 


FURTHER  RESULTS  ON  DISSEMINATION. 

Clumps  of  coppice  growth  of  chestnut  were  selected,  in  each  one  of 
which  was  one  or  more  trees  with  cankers  bearing  ascospores.  Wounds 
were  made  by  sterile  implements  on  surrounding  trees  facing  the  can- 
kers of  the  diseased  trees  and  the  bark  was  previously  sterilized.  These 
wounds  were  then  protected  from  insects  by  wire  screens  and  a strip 
of  cotton  placed  upon  them  to  insure  against  spores  being  washed  from 
above.  The  cankered  trees  were  drenched  with  water  ouce  a day  for 
ten  days.  Of  the  559  wounds  made  and  protected  in  this  way,  114  de- 
veloped cankers  at  the  end  of  three  months. 

In  another  set  of  bellows  experiments  not  previously  reported,  sixty- 
three  sterile  wounds  were  made  in  the  trunks  of  trees  and  shooting 
bark  was  supported  at  a distance  of  oue  and  a half  to  two  and  a half 
feet  from  each  wound.  A draft  of  air  was  created  toward  the  wounded 
tree  by  hand-bellows  for  fifteen  minutes  and  then  the  wound  protected 
with  cotton.  Twenty-four  out  of  the  sixty-three  wounds  developed 
ankers. 

LONGEVITY  TESTS. 

t 

Results  of  tests  in  the  longevity  of  spores  are  as  follows:— 

First — Ascospores  after  being  ejected  from  the  perithecia  and  kept 
dry  on  slides  in  the  laboratory,  retained  their  vitality  twenty-four  (24  ) 
weeks ; limit  not  yet  reached. 

Second Ascospores  kept  dry  in  the  bark  without  being  dis- 

charged from  the  perithecia  retained  their  vitality  thirty -four  (34  i 
weeks ; limit  not  yet  reached. 

Third — Conidia  kept  dry  as  spore  horns  in  the  laboratory,  retained 
their  totality  twenty-eight  (28)  weeks;  limit  not  yet  reached. 

Fourth — Both  ascospores  and  conidia  collected  at  regular  intervals 
from  the  woods  during  the  winter  up  to  the  present  time  (Feb.  1st) 
have  retained  their  vitality.  Even  the  couidia  from  the  exposed  pyc- 
nidia  on  wood  have  given  a high  percentage  of  germination  at  every 
period  of  the  winter. 


45 


CULTURAL  AND  TAXONOMIC  STUDIES. 

The  true  blight  fungus  has  been  much  confused  with  several  other 
very  closely  related  species  of  this  genus.  Cultures  of  all  these  forms 
from  various  localities  in  America  and  Europe  were  made  and  studied 
on  a large  number  of  media.  As  a result  of  these  studies  it  is  now 
definitely  proved  that  we  have  three  distinct  species  in  Eastern  United 
States:— First.  The  true  blight  fungus.  Second.  The  Connellsville 
fungus.  Third.  The  long  spored  Svuthern  fungus.  Only  the  first  two 
of  these  are  found  in  Pennsylvania  and  only  the  first  one  of  the  three 
causes  any  injury  to  the  trees. 


REPORT  OF  THE  PHYSIOLOGIST 
(Figs.  39-49.) 


The  investigations  in  tree  medication  have  been  in  charge  of  Dr. 
Caroline  Rumbold,  and  have  three  objects  in  view: 

1.  To  ascertain  if  the  growth  of  the  chestnut  blight  fungus  can  be 
checked  by  the  introduction  of  chemicals  into  growing  chestnut  trees. 

2.  To  determine  whether  the  fungus  can  be  entirely  killed  by  such 
a process. 

3.  Also  to  determine  whether  the  tree  can  be  rendered  immune 
to  the  disease  by  such  a process. 

The  condition  is  also  to  be  understood  that  the  tree  must  remain 
uninjured  in  each  case  by  the  treatment. 

Some  of  the  results  obtained  to  date  are  as  follows: — 

EFFECT  OF  ALKALIES  ON  THE  GROWTH  OF  THE  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT 

FUNGUS. 

Certain  alkaline  compounds,  lithium  carbonate,  sodium  carbonate 
and  sodium  hydroxide,  were  emplot’ed  in  percentages  varying  from 
one-half  to  one-sixteenth  per  .cent,  and  added  to  bean  juice  agar  (2  per 
cent.)  and  to  boiled  chestnut  juice.  On  cultivating  the  fungus  in  these 
media,  it  was  found  that  lithium  carbonate  was  the  most  toxic,  one 
eighth  per  cent,  being  sufficient  to  kill  the  fungus. 

EFFECT  OF  ALKALINE  SOLUTIONS  ON  GROWING  PLANTS. 

Rooted  slips  of  Coleus  and  Impatiens  were  placed  in  alkaline  solu- 
tions, and  it  was  found  that  a one-fourth  per  cent.,  one- third  per  cent, 
and  one-half  per  cent,  of  what  was  supposed  to  be  a saturated  solution 
of  lithium  carbonate  readily  entered  the  plants  through  the  roots.  If 
taken  from  the  solution  as  soon  as  a slight  curling  of  the  leaves  indi- 
cated the  presence  of  the  lithium  in  the  tips  of  the  plant,  they  survived 


46 


this  treatment.  Allowed  to  remain,  the  plants  continued  t«  absorb 
the  alkali,  and  died,  the  tips  of  the  roots  and  of  the  leaves  turning 
brown  first.  Next,  chestnut  seedlings  two  and  three  years  old,  which 
had  been  transplanted  into  pots,  were  injected  with  lithium  carbonate 
solution  through  a root  cut  under  water.  The  solution  spread  from  the 
root  throughout  the  seedling,  as  was  shown  by  the  effect  of  the  solu- 
tion in  the  leaves  and  twigs  whenever  tested.  Some  of  the  trees  ab- 
sorbed the  one  fourth  per  cent,  solution  readily,  and  others  even  the 
one  third  per  cent.  Controlled  trees  injected  simply  with  distilled 
water,  did  not  absorb  the  water  as  readily  as  the  other  trees  absorbed 
the  alkaline  solution.  On  inoculating  the  trees  injected  with  lithium 
cai’bonate  and  the  controlled  trees  with  the  chestnut  blight  fungus,  the 
alkali  appeared  to  have  no  effect,  as  both  series  of  trees  were  infected. 

FIELD  EXPERIMENTS  AT  EMILIE,  PA. 

In  experiments  conducted  at  Emilie,  Pa.,  in  April',  lithium  carbon- 
ate in  different  percentages  was  injected  into  orchard  trees 
through  the  roots.  The  trees  which  had  an  average  age  of  six  years 
were  already  infected  with  the  chestnut  blight,  most  of  the  cankers 
being  at  the  base  of  the  tree.  In  August,  while  some  of  the  injections 
had  seriously  retarded  the  growth  of  the  trees,  none  of  the  latter 
were  killed  by  them,  though  they  did  die  from  the  blight  disease. 
However,  in  no  case  were  the  injections  of  any  benefit  to  the  tree. 

METHODS  OF  TRUNK  INJECTION. 

For  large  trees  it  is  manifestly  impracticable  to  practice  injection 
through  the  roots.  Two  different  methods,  therefore,  of  trunk  injec- 
tions were  devised,  in  one  of  which  a tin  can  and  grafting  wax  were 
used,  and  in  the  other,  a glass  jar,  rubber  tubing  and  a clamp.  Details 
of  the  use  of  these  methods  are  given  in  the  full  report  of  the  physio- 
logist in  charge  of  tree  medication.  The  latter  method  is  well  illus- 
trated, however,  by  accompanying  figures  39,  41.  42. 

EXPERIMENTS  AT  COLEMANVILLE,  PA. 

During  the  late  summer,  field  experiments  were  conducted  in  a 
large  chestnut  orchard  at  Colemanville.  Solutions  of  the  following 
compounds  were  used ; copper  sulphate,  copper  chloride,  zinc  chloride, 
lithium  carbonate,  barium  chloride,  sodium  carbonate  and  sodium 
hydroxide.  A number  of  other  compounds  were  also  used  in  different 
concentrations,  including  certain  color  solutions,  such  as  eosin.  methyl 
green  and  congo  red,  in  solutions  of  one  one-tenth  per  cent. 
These  solutions  were  injected  by  the  two  methods  of  trunk  injection 
above  mentioned.  So  far,  no  difference  in  the  rate  of  intake  in  different 
concentrations  of  the  solutions  has  been  noticed.  No  tests  were  made 
of  the  effect  of  temperature,  wind  and  humidity  in  these  experiments. 


Fig.  23. 

Amoeboid  infection  on  two  year  old  sprout.  The  bark  has  been  removed  from  t-Be 
shoot  and  spread  out  flat. 


Fig.  24. 

Amoeboid  infection  on  two  year  old  sprout. 


Fig.  25. 

Type  of  sprout  infection  common  in  some  tracts. 


i 


Fig.  27. 

Isolation  culture  from  infection  shown  in  Fig.  25. 


Fig.  28. 

Blight  canker  on  branch  showing  characteristic  swelling  and  cracking  of  bark  on 

young  wood. 


i 


Fig.  20. 

The  figure  at  the  left  shows  the  fruiting  pustules  bursting  through  the  bark, 
figure  at  the  right  shows  a young  infection  with  an  enlargement,  which  is 
characteristic  in  vigorous  branches. 


The 

often 


Fig.  30. 

Rough  bark  showing  broad  bands  of  perithecial  pustules  in  the  crevices.  Spores 
shot  from  this  specimen  were  used  in  making  the  ascospore  cultures  described  in 
this  report. 


Fig.  31. 

rerithecial  pustules  from  rough  bark. 


Fig.  32. 

Culture  of  Diaporthe  parasitica  obtained  from  pycnospores,  produced  by  pycnidia 
on  two  year  old  wood  pile,  Bronxville,  N.  Y. 


Fig.  33. 

Bark  from  the  end  of  a piece  of  cord  wood.  Obtained  from  railroad  siding,  Ft. 
Robinson,  Pa.  The  inner  or  fibrous  bark  is  completely  covered  with  pycnidia. 


Fig.  34. 

Cultures  of  Diaporthe  parasitica  from  mycelial  transfers  grown  on  potato  agar  in 
the  light  and  in  the  dark.  Culture  in  the  light  is  beginning  to  show  zonation. 


Fig.  35. 

Potato  agar  culture  grown  in  light  showing  the  pronounced  zonation. 


0 


6 

Fig.  30. 

Germination  of  Conidiospores  in  3 per  cent,  glucose  agar.  22°C.  1 after  12  hours; 
2 after  10  hours  ; 3 after  22  hours  ; 4 after  30  hours ; 5 after  36  hours ; 6 after 
36  hours. 


These  illustrate  the  linear  and  y types  of  germination. 


Fig.  37. 

Germination  of  Ascospores  in  3 per  cent,  glucose  agar.  22°C.  1 to  4 a series 

showing  growth  of  a single  spore:  1 at  11.45  A.  M. ; 2 at  2.45  P.  M. ; 3 at 
4.45  P.  M. ; 4 at  7.45  P.  M. : 5 after  24  hours  ; 6 after  24  hours  ; 7 after  24  hours. 
In  4,  each  cell  has  produced  two  hyphae.  In  5,  one  cell  has  produced  two  hyphae, 
while  a strong  lateral  has  grown  out  from  the  main  axis  just  beyond  the  spore. 
In  6 one  ceil  has  produced  a lateral  but  no  terminal  hyphae. 

In  7,  one  cell  of  the  ascospore  failed  to  produce  a germ  tube. 


Fig.  38. 

lit  lire  11(1  from  ascospores,  culture  117  from  conidiospores.  Roth  were  made 
November  17,  1!)12  on  3 per  cent,  glucose  agar  and  were  five  days  old  when 
photographed. 


Fig.  39. 

Method  of  attaching  tube  for  injecting  a solution  into  a tree. 


Tree  No.  127.  Plot  P>.  Martic  Forge  1912. 
i per  cent,  formaldehyde.  Tree  injected  August  14  consumed  1445  cc.  solution. 

Photographed  August  27. 


Fig.  41. 

Cross  section  of  a tree  at  the  point  of  injection.  Shows  the  injection  hole  and  glass 
tube  entering  it — held  in  place  by  the  rubber  cork  and  the  clamp. 


Fig.  43. 

Tree  No.  31.  Plot  A.  1912  Martie  Forge. 

Injected  October  7 with  .01  tier  cent.  Congo  Red.  Tree  consumed  2 gills,  stain. 
Tree  cut  down  October  13. 

Note — In  the  photograph  of  tree  sections  the  stained  areas  are  either  marked  or 
outlined  by  black  lines.  The  photographs  show  the  natural  size  of  the  sections. 


f.  ' . ?. 

w ' TREE 


Fig.  44. 


Tree  No.  60.  Plot  A.  1912  Martic  Forge. 

Injected  October  7 with.  .01  per  cent  Congo  Red.  Consumed  2 1-2  gills  of  stain. 
Tree  cut  down  October  13. 


Fig.  45.  i TV! 

Tree  JSTo.  02.  Plot  A.  1912  iiartie  Forge. 

Injected  August  20  with  .01  per  cent  green.  About  2 gills  of  stain  consumed. 
Ire'  cut  down  September  10. 


Fig.  46. 

Tree  No.  63.  Plot  A.  1912  Martic  Forge. 

Injected  August  20  with  .01  per  cent  Methyl  green.  Consumed  about  1 quart  of 
stain.  Tree  cut  down  September  10. 


TREE  63 


g rucn 


Fig.  47. 

Tree  No.  04.  Plot  A.  1012  Martic  Forge. 

Injected  August  20  with  .01  Methyl  green.  Tree  consumed  about  2 quarts. 
Tree  cut  down  August  21.  See  1. 


Fig.  48. 

Tree  Xo.  f!4.  Plot  A.  1012  Martic  Forge. 

Injection  August  20  with  .001  Methyl  green.  Consumed  about  one  quart  of 
stain  in  45  minutes.  Altogether  about  2 i-2  pints  consumed.  Tree  cut  down 
August  21. 


Fig.  49. 

A tool  and  storage  box  having  on  top  of  it  the  implements  used  in  making  three 

injections. 


47 


As  evening  appr«>m-ned,  the  intake  decreased.  The  experiments  have 
not  been  continued  long  enough  for  accurate  conclusions  as  to  the  path 
of  the  solutions  in  the  tree.  It  was  possible,  however,  to  mark  out  the 
path  of  the  solution  on  the  bark  of  the  tree,  those  twigs  and  branches 
whose  fibres  entered  this  path,  having  their  leaves  killed.  In  certain 
cases  all  of  the  leaves  were  eventually  killed,  making  it  look  as 
though  the  solution  had  diffused  throughout  the  tree,  but  soon  the 
leaves  on  those  parts  of  the  tree  not  included  in  the  path  of  the 
solution,  fell  off.  Callus  had  formed  and  the  leaves  fell  as  in  the 
fall  of  the  year.  More  direct  evidence  concerning  the  path  of  the 
solution  in  the  tree  during  the  months  of  August,  September  and 
October  was  obtained  from  color  solutions  of  eosin,  methyl  green 
and  congo  red,  (Figs.  43-47). 

The  effect  of  lithium  carbonate  solution  was  visible  in  the  leaves  in 
about  three  days  after  the  injection,  when  the  injection  was  made  in 
August.  The  effect  on  the  trees  of  injections  in  the  spring  was  more 
general  than  in  the  case  of  those  treated  in  August.  Solutions  of 
heavy  metals,  although  killing  in  concentrations,  did  not  at  once 
affect  the  cambium  layer  when  passing  up  and  down  the  vessels.  Cop- 
per chloride  solution,  twelve  hours  after  injection  into  the  tree,  killed 
the  leaves  on  the  branch.  The  cambium  was  still  alive.  This  layer 
died  later,  however,  and  still  later  the  green  coiffex. 

The  effect  of  the  different  solutions  on  the  leaves  was  so  marked 
that  one  could  tell  from  the  manner  of  the  blotching,  what  kind  of 
solutions  had  been  used  (Fig.  7,  S and  9).  The  leaves  on  those 
branches  which  did  not  receive  the  killing  solutions,  finally  dropped 
off,  and  new  leaves  were  produced,  as  though  it  were  spring,  while  on 
those  branches  which  were  injected,  the  dead  leaves  continued  to 
hang,  making  them  conspicuous  on  the  trees.  This  phenomenon 
was  general  when  the  solution  of  heavy  metals  and  formal- 
dehyde was  used.  The  first  effect  noticeable  is  the  changing  of  the 
color  of  the  leaves  on  injected  branches,  together  with  a decided 
smell  of  fermentation.  The  dying  leaves  do  not  become  crisp  until 
some  time  after  they  have  turned  brown. 

Injections  of  compounds  of  ammonia  produced  very  different  effects 
from  those  of  the  heavy  metals ; in  these  cases  the  autumn  leaf  fall  of 
the  tree  was  normal  as  to  time  and  appearance.  Further  experiments 
with  these  compounds  will  be  made. 

CONCLUSION. 

So  far,  no  general  method  for  either  killing  or  checking  the  growth 
of  the  chestnut  blight  fungus  has  been  found.  A successful  method 
for  injecting  fluids  into  the  tree  has,  however,  been  devised,  which, 
with  modifications  can  be  used  for  injecting  gases  also.  The  present 
indications  are  that  the  heavy  metals  will  not  be  of  value  in  tree 
medication. 

4 

! 


48 


INVESTIGATIONS  OF  INSECTS  ASSOCIATED  WITH  THE 
CHESTNUT  BLIGHT. 


These  investigations  are  in  charge  of  Professor  A.  G.  Ruggles,  for- 
merly associated  Entomologist  of  the  Minnesota  Agricultural  Experi- 
ment Station,  and  at  present  on  leave  of  absence  for  work  with  this 
Commission. 

As  in  the  case  of  other  investigations,  Professor  Ruggles  has  only 
been  engaged  for  a short  time,  and  therefore  his  work  is  only  fairly 
begun.  The  investigations  in  this  line  may  be  divided  into  four  main 
divisions  as  follows: — 

1st.  The  relation  of  insects  to  the  blight  as  possible  carriers  of  the 
disease. 

2nd.  The  study  of  insect  wounds  that  may  form  a good  lodging 
place  for  fungus  spores. 

3rd.  The  study  of  insects  that  feed  upon, the  spores  of  the  blight 
fungus. 

4th.  The  study  of  insects  infecting  chestnut  trees  that  have  already 
been  killed  by  the  blight. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  it  may  be  also  of  importance  to  investigate 
the  insects  that  attack  living  chestnut  trees. 

The  first  of  these  divisions  is  being  given  considex-able  attention  as 
certain  insects  may  really  be  agents  for  carrying  the  disease. 

The  results  of  the  work  of  Professor  N.  F.  Davis,  special  entomolo- 
gist during  the  summer,  may  be  summed  up  as  follows: 

Many  cases  of  infection  were  seen  that  were  not  thought  to  be  due 
to  the  wind.  No  summer  spores  or  winter  spores  were  found,  yet  the 
disease  kept  spreading.  Ants  were  thought  responsible  because  xluw 
were  found  carrying  mycelial  threads  of  the  fungus.  75  to  90  per 
cent,  of  the  cases  of  infection  were  attributed  to  ants,  particularly  in 
dry  weather.  At  present  one  cannot  accept  all  or  any  of  the  conclu- 
sions reached  by  other  former  workers  in  this  line.  There  are  links 
to  the  chain  of  evidence  yet  to  be  supplied.  Several  experiments  are 
outlined  for  this  work  that  cannot  be  started  until  spring,  however  it 
is  expected  to  have  some  facts  about  ants  before  the  winter  is  over  by 
means  of  greenhouse  investigations. 

The  second  line  of  investigation  has  not  been  much  studied.  Many 
insects  make  wounds  but  we  do  not  yet  know  always  what  species 
make  these  wounds.  Some  wounds  now  thought  to  be  insignificant 
may  have  a special  bearing  as  the  starting  points  of  infection.  These 
are  to  be  studied.  The  relation  of  insects  to  hypertrophied  cankers 
should  be  investigated.  Also  further  inquiry  as  to  insects  that  eat 
chestnut  blight  spores  is  very  important. 


49 


he  fourth  line  or  investigation  is  being  made  from  the  standpoint 
tilization  of  the  wood.  Before  a tree  is  dead  with  the  disease,  in- 
ns begin  to  attack  it.  Afterward  many  insects  help  in  its  destruc- 
d.  Recent  observations  show  that  blight  cankers  are  a means  of 
trance  for  wood-boring  insects.  In  a peeled  telephone  pole,  for  in- 
f-ace, old  cankers  were  filled  with  entrance  holes  of  some  of  these  in- 
e:s.  (Fig.  50.) 

ur  investigation  should  show  how  long  a tree  dying  with  blight 
a remain  standing  and  still  be  useful  for  telephone  poles  or  lumber. 

CORRESPONDENCE  AND  IDENTIFICATION  OF  INSECTS. 

a addition  to  the  above  lines  of  investigation  under  way  or  soon 
obe  started,  some  time  is  required  in  identifying  insects  of  the 

Istnut,  sent  in  by  correspondents,  and  studying  insect  injuries  of 
chestnut  tree,  also,  in  correspondence  on  the  spraying  of  chestnut 
hards  for  combating  insects. 

SPRAYING  INVESTIGATIONS. 

ted  spider,  plant  lice,  scales  and  leaf-eating  insects  have  their 
bable  insecticides  recommended.  It  is  economical  to  combine  when 
sible  both  an  insecticide  and  fungicide  in  the  ssme  spray.  It  is 
tired  to  determine  the  toxic  properties  of  certain  -ommon  fungicides 
t readily  mix  with  insecticides  to  the  proporti  u best  adapted  to 
j the  chestnut  blight  fungus,  and  the  amount  of  iraying  necessary, 
ne  fungicides  have  also  an  insecticidal  value. 


REPORT  OF  THE  CHEMIST. 


,] 


'he  chemical  work  of  the  Commission  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  Joseph 
■awder,  and  has  been  under  way  since  about  July  1,  1912.  The 
ef  object  of  the  chemical  investigations  is  to  obtain  facts  con- 
ning the  tannin  content  of  the  chestnut  tree  in  health  and  when 
leased  by  the  chestnut  blight,  and  also  in  relation  to  the  soil  in 
ich  the  tree  grows.  Other  incidental  questions  spring  up  as  the 
rk  goes  on.  Certain  rather  interesting  results  have  been  obtained 
ing  the  course  of  the  investigations. 


ll  I'OMPARATIVE  TANNIN  CONTENTS  IN  BLIGHTED  AND  HEALTHY 

TREES. 

'he  tests  as  to  tannin  content  have  been  made  so  far  entirely  with 
:»  bark.  In  twenty  tests,  all  but  one  showed  a higher  percentage 
o tannin  in  the  infected  bark  than  in  the  healthy  bark  of  the  same 


50 


tree.  The  lower  percentage  in  an  exceptional  case  nmy  be  expi. 
by  certain  abnormal  conditions  in  that  case.  ~So  satisfactory 
planation  has  been  offered  for  this  tannin  increase  in  the  inf< 
portions  of  the  tree.  As  no  one  has  as  yet  explained  the  exact  fun< 
of  tannin  in  the  plant  world,  this  variation  is  for  that  reason  of 
greater  interest. 

COLOR  OF  THE  EXTRACT. 

The  tannin  extract  from  the  normal  bark  gives  a bright,  cl 
colored  solution,  while  that  from  infected  portions  is  always  of  a ■ 
brown  color,  (see  illustrations,  Fig.  51).  Eemoving  the  tannin  j 
the  normal  bark  extract  leaves  a solution  of  a straw  yellow  c- 
while  the  removal  of  the  tannin  from  the  infected  bark  ext 
changes  the  color  but  slightly. 

EFFECT  OF  COLOR  IN  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

The  effect  of  the  difference  in  color  of  the  tannin  extract  f 
infected  and  normal  portions  of  the  tree  in  leather  manufacture 
tested  by  the  actual  tanning  of  sheepskin,  in  which  the  tannin  from 
normal  bark  gave  a very  light  color  to  the  leather,  that  from 
infected  bark  gave  a medium  dark  color,  while  extract  from  c-hesil 
oak  gave  a still  darker  color,  (see  illustrations).  It  appears  thal 
the  manufacture  of  certain  leathers,  particularly  sole  leather,  I 
medium  color  as  given  by  the  tannin  from  infected  bark,  is  the  I 
that  is  preferred.  It  is,  therefore,  a matter  of  much  interest. 

Details  of  experiments  upon  which  the  above  statements  are  ba: 
and  discussions  of  other  minor  experiments  are  given  in  the  acci 
panying  complete  report  from  the  chemist. 

PLANS  OF  FUTURE  WORK. 

In  future  investigations,  it  is  expected  to  determine  with  greti 
accuracy  the  chemical  effect  upon  the  sugar,  starch,  nitrogen  cl 
pounds  and  cellulose  of  chestnut  bark  produced  by  the  chestnut  blil 
fungus.  It  is  also  expected  to  make  more  complete  ash  analyses.  1 
second  line  of  studies  will  be  the  effect  of  the  fungus  upon  the  wi4 
from  the  chemical  standpoint.  A third  investigation  will  be  thelj 
tempt  to  extract  tannin  from  chestnut  wood  with  solvents  other  tli 
water.  This  will  be  an  advantage  in  utilization.  If  it  is  possible! 
extract  tannin  by  a chemical  process,  chestnut  wood  may  be  utili  l 
to  greater  advantage  without  storing  it  in  the  woods  or  shipping  it.  I 


Sheep  skin  tannin  in  extract  from  sound 
chestnut  bark. 


Sheep  skin  tannin  extract  from  infected 
chestnut  bark. 


Sheep  skin  tanned  in  extract  from  chestnut 
oak  bark. 


51 


REPORT  OF  THE  TREE  SURGEON. 
(Figs.  52-55.) 


lie  work  of  examination  of  individual  trees  on  lawns  and  in 
ite  parks  as  well  as  orchard  trees  with  the  idea  of  attempting  to 
such  trees  by  possible  surgical  or  other  treatment  is  in  charge 
; r.  Roy  G.  Pierce,  Tree  Surgeon. 

'quests  for  examination  of  individual  trees  are  very  frequent, 
tin  the  past  four  months  208  such  examinations  have  been  made  by 
ree  surgeon  and  one  assistant.  Most  of  these  examinations  were 
S in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia  and  in  Montgomery,  Bucks,  Dela- 
; and  Chester  counties. 

FAIRMOUNT  PARK. 

l examination  of  the  chestnut  trees  in  Fairmount  Park  is  in 
ress.  Over  2,000  diseased  trees  have  already  been  located  in  the 
and  West  Park,  not  including  Wissahickon  Drive. 

PRIVATE  TREE  SURGEONS  AND  FORESTERS. 

s the  Commission  does  not  stand  the  expense  of  treatment  of 
; individual  trees,  it  is  found  practically  necessary  to  investigate 
*eliability  and  skill  of  these  private  tree  surgeons  and  foresters 
give  their  time  to  tree  treatment  work.  A list  of  such  men  has 
obtained  nearly  all  of  whom  have  been  seen  by  ageuts  of  the 
imission  and  the  right  methods  of  operation  explained  to  them, 
it*  work  is  also  investigated,  and  when  not  up  to  the  standard  they 
io  informed. 

CHESTNUT  ORCHARDS. 

} list  of  205  owners  of  cultivated  chestnut  trees  has  been  eom- 
. Bulletin  No.  2,  ‘‘Treatment  of  Ornamental  Chestnut  Trees 
lilted  with  the  Blight  Disease,”  has  been  sent  to  these  owners.  All 
e large  chestnut  orchards  have  been  visited  by  employees  of  this 
mission.  Other  owners  of  such  orchards  will  be  seen  personally 
son  as  possible. 

EFFECT  OF  SPRAYING. 

ials  of  spraying  have  been  made  by  certain  chestnut  tree  owners 
:e  if  the  entrance  of  the  chestnut  blight  may  be  prevented  in 
svay.  While  results  m,  far  are  not  entirely  conclusive  the  indica- 
is  that  Bordeaux  Mixture  wilt  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  chest- 
dight  fungus,  but  will  not,  of  course,  kill  it  after  the  tree  is  once 
ted. 


52 


REPORT  OF  THE  GEOGRAPHER. 


The  investigations  of  rainfall,  temperature,  altitude  and  ge 
topography  of  the  State  in  relation  to  the  distribution  of  the  <. 
nut  tree  blight  disease  is  in  direct  charge  of  Dr.  F.  I*.  Gul 
Geographer.  The  work  has  been  under  way  only  a short  time, 
addition  to  the  field  investigations  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Geogr* 
also  to  bring  together  on  a uniform  scale  map  the  facts  given  by 
agents  as  to  the  location,  distribution  and  percentage  of  the  b! 
percentage  of  chestnut  trees,  and  other  related  facts  in  forestry 

RAINFALL.  _ ! 

Maps  have  been  constructed  to  show  the  spring,  summer 
autumn  rainfall  over  the  State  for  various  years.  These  show  ma 
differences  in  succeeding  years.  The  relation  of  greater  or  less 
fall  and  more  or  less  humidity  to  blight  distribution  are  1 
studied. 

POSSIBLE  RELATION  OF  SUMMER  RAINFALL  TO  THE  SPREAD 
THE  BLIGHT  DISEASE  IN  1011  AND  1912. 

It  appears  that  in  the  summer  of  1912  there  was  a much  gn 
increase  in  the  extent  of  the  blight  disease  in  certain  portioi 
the  western  part  of  the  State  than  in  1911.  A careful  stuc 
these  conditions  show  the  possibility  that  the  cause  was  the  i 
greater  rainfall  in  those  areas  in  1912  than  in  the  correspor 
months  of  1911.  Maps  are  herewith  attached,  which  show  ditfer< 
of  rainfall  in  the  two  seasons.  (Figs.  50-59.) 

MAPS  ILLUSTRATING  FIELD  INSPECTION. 

A scouting  map  has  been  drawn  to  show  the  progress  of  the 
work  to  date,  also  a map  of  the  western  district  showing 
number  of  infected  trees  found  in  areas  which  have  been  sc-out< 
detail. 


BASIS  OF  MAPPING  WORK. 

All  maps  are  made  to  correspond  with  the  excellent  quadr; 
sheets  gotten  out  by  the  United  States  Geological  Survey.  In  : 
for  which  sheets  are  not  available  the  best  other  sources  of  i 
mation  possible  are  used. 


53 


PH YSl  0 G R APH I G PEAT  U R E S . 

A careful  study  is  being  made  oi‘  the  relation  of  mountains  and 
Ivalleys,  and  the  direction  of  the  wind  to  the  spread  of  the  blight 
disease,  but  there  has  not  been  sufficient  time  to  obtain  any  results. 

PUBLIC  HIGHWAYS. 


, As  the  blight  disease  is  so  often  found  along  public  highways, 
observations  are  being  made  to  determine  if  automobiles,  railway 
trains  or  telephone  and  telegraph  linemen  may  be  responsible  to  any 
considerable  extent  in  carrying  the  disease  from  one  infected  locality 
into  another. 


54 


EEPOET  OF  FOEESTEE  IN  CHAEGE  OF  UTILIZATION. 

(Figs.  62-70.) 


The  exploitation  of  diseased  chestnut  wood  in  various  forms  for 
market  is  in  charge  of  Professor  J.  P.  Wentling,  Forester,  who  is 
assisted  by  three  other  men.  The  work  has  been  under  way  about 
four  months,  although  good,  thorough  work  with  a central  office  and 
a capable  force  of  assistants  was  not  possible  until  after  November 
first. 

EXPLOITATION  OF  BLIGHTED  CHESTNUT  WOOD  ONLY. 

At  first  it  was  thought  advisable  to  encourage  utilization  work 
through  the  State  in  unblighted  as  well  as  blighted  chestnut  and  to 
stimulate  trade  in  local  chestnut.  Later,  however,  it  became  evident 
that  the  badly  blighted  timber,  mostly  iu  the  eastern  part  of  the  State, 
warranted  the  entire  attention  of  the  men  engaged  iu  this  work.  For 
the  present  at  least,  it  seems  therefore  best  to  carry  on  most  of 
the  work  east  of  the  Susquehanna  Elver.  At  present  it  is  thought 
best  to  do  as  much  of  the  active  work  as  possible,  in  the  southeastern 
part  of  the  State  where  the  conditions  seem  to  demand  immediate 
attention. 

METHODS  ON  PUBLIC  AND  PRIVATE  LANDS. 

As  the  different  lines  of  work  progressed,  it  became  evideut  that 
two  methods  of  work  should  be  followed:  One  on  private  lands  and 
the  other  on  public  lands.  In  the  former  case  the  field  men  are 
directed  to  be  helpful  in  every  way  possible,  so  long  as  they  do  not 
involve  the  Commission  in  any  operation  or  transaction.  Where 
necessary,  assistance  is  giveu  in  examining  and  cruising  timber, 
estimates  are  giveu  on  cost  of  cutting  and  marketing,  aud  in  furnish- 
ing information  on  markets  and  market  prices  of  various  products, 
and  in  any  circumstance  that  might  arise  in  couuection  with  an 
individual  operation. 

On  public  lands  a fetv  instances  arose  in  which  it  seems  necessary 
that  the  Commission  take  entire  charge  of  cleaning  out  blighted  wood 
and  marketing  the  same.  In  cases  of  this  kind  it  is  expected  that 
the  governing  body  controlling  a piece  of  public  land  do  what  it 
can  financially,  allowing  the  Commission  to  complete  the  work  at 
its  own  expense.  If  the  governing  body  has  no  money  available  for 
this  work,  the  Commission  may  take  entire  charge,  bearing  initial 
expenses,  and  what  loss  there  maj-  be  between  the  cost  and  returns, 
and  in  case  any  profit  results,  it  should  be  turned  over  for  use  on  the 
particular  piece  of  public  property  under  consideration. 


55 


TIMBER  OWNERS. 


Field  agents  in  utilization  are  required  to  meet  timber  owners 
directly  and  by  the  field  work  to  find  where  the  valuable  chestnut 
jstands  are,  what  their  condition  is,  what  they  will  produce,  and  what 
Ithe  market  is.  In  this  way  at  least  the  good  stands  of  chestnut  will 
be  brought  to  our  attention. 


wt 


MARKETS. 

Considerable  information  has  already  been  obtained  as  to  markets 


D'lj  for  lumber,  poles,  ties,  shingles,  staves,  etc.  However,  the  average 
chestnut  stand  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  is  in  many  cases  a 
straight  cordwood  proposition.  It  is  therefore  important  to  find 
all  possible  markets  for  this  low  grade  material.  Lumber  users  can 
be  reached  very  well  by  correspondence.  The  lumber  market  is  good. 
The  situation  as  regards  poles  is  similar.  The  small  dealer  who  uses 
fence  posts,  a few  ties,  cordwood,  shingles,  staves,  etc.  is  hard  to  reach 
by  correspondence.  Because  of  this  the  policy  is  pursued  of  hunting- 
out  cordwood  dealers  and  getting  information  by  personal  inter- 
views. A number  of  very  good  local  markets  for  chestnut  cordwood 
of  almost  any  quantity  have  been  found  in  this  way. 


MINING  TIMBER. 

In  the  northeastern  and  north  central  parts  of  the  Slate  large 
amounts  of  chestnut  are  now  used  and  more  may  be  used,  in  and 
about  the  coal  mines.  The  addresses  of  all  mining  companies,  both 
bituminous  and  anthracite,  have  been  obtained  and  a letter  sent  to 
each  asking  for  specifications  of  and  prices  paid  for  chestnut  material. 


RAILROAD  TIES  AND  FENCING  MATERIAL. 

Chestnut  railroad  ties  are  not  in  very  great  demand  by  the  steam 
roads  on  main  lines,  but  electric  lines  do  use  large  quantities  of  them. 
As  a general  rule  it  is  pretty  safe  to  manufacture  standard  ties  and 
deliver  them  at  a railroad  before  a definite  market  has  been  obtained. 

Fencing  material — posts  and  rails — is  in  local  demand  in  certain 
localities,  and  markets  for  this  kind  of  material  have  been  obtained 
only  through  personal  interviews,  and  very  largely  through  fuel  deal- 
ers who  handle  coal  as  their  product. 

COUNTIES  EXPLOITED. 


The  markets  have  been  very  carefully  investigated  in  Montgomery, 
Bucks,  York  and  Adams  counties,  and  considerable  work  done  in 
Philadelphia  Chester,  Delaware,  Lancaster,  Berks  and  Lycoming 
counties,  and  to  some  extent  in  the  remaining  counties  east  of  the 
Susquehanna  River.  In  this  investigation  the  county  is  taken  as  a 


56 


unit  and  the  facts  are  tabulated  and  bled  according  to  counties  and 
industries.  The  study  is  made  from  town  to  town  and  information 
obtained  by  personal  interviews  chiefly  along  the  main  lines  of 
traffic. 

CO-OPERATION  WITH  THE  FOREST  SERVICE  AND  STATE  DEPART- 
MENT OF  FORESTRY. 

The  Commission  has  received  from  the  Forest  Service  a list  of  all 
users  of  chestnut  lumber  in  the  State  and  will  by  correspondence  and 
personal  interviews,  reach  these  users  and  get  from  them  the  grades 
of  chestnut  lumber  they  use  and  prices  they  pay  for  each  grade. 

i t is  possible  now  to  further  co-operate  with  this  Service  in  obtain- 
ing similar  data  on  poles,  shingles,  ties,  cordwood  and  lumber  in  this 
State  which  has  not  been  covered  by  the  utilization  study  made 
already  by  the  Forest  Service  during  the  past  year,  as  well  as  on  tim- 
ber-lands, markets,  etc. 

The  State  Department  of  Forestry  in  conjunction  with  the  United 
States  Forest  Service  has  collected  a large  amount  of  information  on 
(lie  wood-using  industries  of  the  State  which  data  the  State  Depart- 
ment has  promped  to  furnish  to  this  Commission  for  use  with  the 
provision,  of  course,  that  such  data  shall  not  be  published  by  the 
Commission. 


MILL  STUDIES. 

Timber  owners  frequently  ask  what  they  shall  make  of  their  timber 
in  order  to  realize  the  most  profit.  There  is  no  definite  information 
as  to  this  matter  except  what  little  can  be  obtained  from  lumbermen. 
To  be  able  to  advise  inquirers  in  this  line  mill  studies  have  been 
undertaken.  One  operation  with  staves  has  been  completed.  Average 
trees  from  six  to  twenty  inches  in  diameter  (D.  B.  H.)  have  been  run 
through  a stave  mill  and  an  accurate  account  kept  of  the  staves  pro- 
duced. For  the  information  to  be  of  general  value,  a number  of 
similar  studies  should  be  made  in  different  regions  where  timber 
grows  under  different  conditions.  The  next  study  proposed  is  that 
of  shingles. 


LABOR. 

To  obtain  good  wood  cutters  is  one  of  the  problems  in  the  utilization 
of  chestnut  in  large  quantities.  Labor  that  is  fit  for  wood  work  is 
scarce  in  the  eastern  counties  and  for  the  most  part  employed.  After 
finding  the  markets  comes  the  problem  of  finding  suitable  labor. 

It  is  this  item  of  labor,  together  with  markets  and  the  cost  of 
transportation  to  the  railroad  that  presents  the  chief  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  the  utilization  of  diseased  chestnut  wood. 


57 


DETERIORATION  INVESTIGATIONS. 

A few  cases  have  come  to  our  attention  where  telephone  poles  have 
been  rejected  because  of  a condition  which  is  charged  up  to  the  blight 
disease.  Investigation  of  poles  of  this  kind  in  almost  every  case 
showed  a poor  condition  of  the  wood  due  to  the  fact  that  the  trees 
from  which  the  poles  were  made  were  dead  on  the  stump  a year  or 
more  before  they  were  cut.  It  seems  unfair  to  charge  this  to  the 
blight.  Insects  aud  fungi  are  agencies  of  deterioration  and  both  of 
these  attack  diseased  and  weakened  trees,  but  the  extent  and  rate  of 
the  deterioration  of  the  wood  due  to  their  injuries  are  not  definitely 
known.  For  future  work  certain  experiments  are  outlined  to  arrive 
at  some  conclusion  as  to  this  question  of  deterioration. 

SPECIAL  TARIFF  CLASSIFICATION. 

From  present  indications  if  negotiations  that  are  now  on  foot 
terminate  favorably,  the  special  tariff  classification  for  blighted  cord- 
wood  will  be  used  to  a considerable  extent  by  the  first  of  the  year 
1913,  and  as  more  and  better  markets  for  cordwood  are  discovered 
and  timber  owners  are  induced  to  cut  and  ship  the  blighted  chestnut, 
this  tariff  ought  in  six  months  from  now  to  be  in  general  use. 

LUMBER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

An  effort  is  being  made  to  interest  lumber  associations  in  an 
increased  use  of  chestnut.  An  exhibition  of  specimens  of  lumber  made 
from  blighted  timber  will  be  made  at  the  January  meeting  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Lumbermen’s  Association  in  this  city.  Officers  of  this 
association  have  promised  their  hearty  co-operation. 

PUBLICATIONS. 

Manuscripts  now  in  preparation  for  publication  include  a “Hand- 
book of  Chestnut  Utilization”  for  the  use  of  agents  of  this  Commis- 
sion ; “Chestnut  Utilization”  a more  popular  publication  for  the 
people,  and  “Deterioration  of  Chestnut  Poles  due  to  Blight.” 

VALLEY  FORGE  PARK. 

A plan  is  being  prepared  for  presentation  to  the  Valley  Forge  Park 
Commission.  It  seems  best  under  the  circumstances  that  practically 
all  of  the  chestnut  timber  should  be  removed  from  this  park  except 
such  trees  as  may  be  saved  by  tree  surgery  work,  and  which  are  located 
along  driveways  and  near  the  entrenchments.  This  work  can  best 
be  done  during  the  winter.  A well-known  lumberman  at  Reedsville 
has  agreed,  when  the  proper  arrangements  are  made,  to  furnish  prac- 
tical woodsmen  to  carry  on  the  work  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Commission. 


58 


When  this  work  is  done  it  is  suggested  that  the  area  cleaned  be 
re-planted  with  coniferous  trees  that  may  be  obtain  uom  the 
State  Forestry  Department. 

PRIVATE  OWNERS  AND  OPERATORS. 

Various  inquiries  are  received  wishing  advice  in  the  disposal  of 
blighted  timber  in  and  about  Philadelphia.  Where  timber  of  this  kind 
is  shown  by  inspection  to  be  worthy  of  consideration  of  a millman, 
every  effort  is  made  to  have  a responsible  millman  see  the  property  and 
then  negotiate  with  the  owner.  Recently  a transaction  of  this  kind 
was  engineered  through  the  Commission  office  and  it  is  believed  that 
the  millman  concerned  will  install  a mill  and  remove  the  timber 
during  the  winter. 

CORDWOOD. 

After  locating  cordwood  markets,  calling  for  about  2000  cords  of 
wood  a year,  a business  man  of  Philadelphia  was  interested  in  supply- 
ing the  wood.  At  the  same  time  an  experienced  woodsman  was  located 
at  West  Chester  who  agreed  to  furnish  two  carloads  of  cordwood  per 
week  for  the  coming  year.  It  is  believed  that  an  agreement  will  be 
made  between  these  parties  to  supply  this  wood.  If  so,  the  woods- 
man will  be  informed  as  far  as  possible  as  to  locations  where  chest- 
nut cordwood  is  available. 

Arrangements  have  been  made  with  the  Oak  Extract  Company  of 
Newport,  to  accept  any  quantity  of  cordwood  from  York  and  adjoin- 
ing counties.  During  the  winter  a campaign  of  advertising  among 
the  farmers  and  other  timber  owners,  urging  them  to  cut  their 
blighted  chestnut  and  deliver  it  at  the  railroad  to  be  shipped  to  New- 
port, will  be  conducted. 

CLEAR  CUTTING  OF  CHESTNUT. 

Cases  arise  where  the  percentage  of  chestnut  is  so  low  that  by 
taking  the  blighted  trees  only,  there  is  not  enough  to  attract  a mill- 
man.  We  are  advising  in  many  cases  where  there  is  any  considerable 
amount  of  blight  that  all  the  chestnut  be  cut  and  utilized  at  one 
operation  rather  than  cut  over  such  areas  three  or  four  times  through 
the  possible  reoccurrence  of  the  blight. 

SOME  FUTURE  WORK. 

Information  will  be  obtained  as  to  the  cost  of  all  operations  of 
cutting  and  utilizing  chestnut  timber  from  stump  to  market  based  on 
a thousand  feet  board  measure,  for: 

1.  Pure  stands 

2.  Chestnut  in  a 70  per  cent,  mixture 

3.  Chestnut  in  a 50  per  cent,  mixture 

4.  Chestnut  in  a 30  per  cent,  mixture 

5.  Chestnut  in  a 15  per  cent,  mixture 

6.  Individual  trees  scattered  throughout  cleared  areas. 


59 


An  effort  will  be  made  to  interest  outside  concerns  in  the  conversion 
of  spent  chestnut  chips  from  extract  factories  into  wood  pulp.  Work 
of  this  kind  has  already  begun. 

With  the  help  of  the  chemist  it  is  expected  to  investigate  the  tannin 
of  chestnut  wood  as  well  as  of  the  bark.  The  effect  of  different  soils 
on  the  tannin  content  will  be  considered. 

Mechanical  tests  of  blighted  timber  will  be  continued  in  a variety 
of  conditions  to  determine  definitely  what  is  the  effect  of  blight 
cankers  of  various  stages  of  development  on  the  strength  of  the 
wood. 

Within  the  next  six  weeks  letters  will  be  sent  to  all  lumbermen  of 
the  State,  all  contractors  who  use  rough  lumber,  mining  companies, 
and  cordwood  users,  encouraging  them  to  call  for  chestnut  wood  in 
the  forms  in  which  they  require  it  as  much  as  possible  in  order  to 
stimulate  the  trade  in  chestnut. 


REPORT  OF  DEMONSTRATION  WORK. 


The  demonstration  work  of  the  Commission,  including  the  prepara- 
tion and  handling  of  exhibits  at  county  fairs  and  at  special  expositions 
and  association  meetings,  lectures  at  Teachers’  Institutes  and  talks 
to  farmers,  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  Keller  E.  Rockey,  Forester. 

FAIR  EXHIBITS. 

During  the  summer  an  exhibit  of  specimens  of  the  chestnut  tree 
blight  and  other  specimens  showing  the  work  of  the  Commission  and 
the  uses  of  chestnut  wood  was  made  at  thirty-three  agricultural  fairs 
in  the  State.  Three  men  assisted  Mr.  Rockey  in  this  work.  At  six 
other  points  a similar  exhibit  was  prepared  and  exhibited  by  local 
field  men.  In  nearly  every  case  field  men  were  on  hand  and  rendered 
good  assistance.  The  place  given  the  Commission  for  exhibits  was 
always  without  charge  and  as  a rule  was  in  a good  location  in  one  of 
the  Exhibition  buildings. 

The  exhibit  consisted,  first,  of  chestnut  bark  specimens  affected 
with  the  blight,  the  aim  being  to  show  the  disease  in  all  phases. 
Photographs  of  trees  and  forests  illustrating  the  effect  of  the  blight 
were  also  shown,  as  well  as  illustrations  of  surgical  treatment,  chest- 
nut orcharding,  etc.  Specimens  of  wood  in  various  finishes  and 
tannin  extracts  were  shown  to  give  some  idea  of  the  uses  of  chestnut. 


60 


Notices  of  our  publications  were  distributed  and  placards  and  a map 
of  the  blight  distribution  were  displayed.  The  total  cost  of  our 
exhibits  was  almost  nothing  in  comparison  with  those  made  by  other 
State  Departments,  but  the  Blight  Commission  exhibits  compared  very 
favorably  in  value  and  public  interest  shown.  At  several  fairs,  on 
request,  the  representative  in  charge  gave  a lecture  upon  chestnut 
blight.  With  each  exhibit  was  placed  a registration  book  for  those 
who  desired  copies  of  our  publications,  or  who  desired  inspection 
of  their  chestnut  trees.  In  all  about  2,000  visitors  were  registered, 
nearly  all  of  whom  were  timber  owners.  At  Conneaut  Lake,  alone, 
225  requests  for  inspection  were  received.  Such  requests  have  been 
or  will  be  complied  with.  The  2,000  visitors  who  registered  are.  of 
course,  a small  percentage  of  the  actual  visitors  at  the  exhibits.  All 
kinds  of  people  were  registered,  teachers  from  normal  schools  and  high 
schools,  county  superintendents,  and  other  county  officers,  members 
of  the  Legislature,  newspaper  men,  students  from  the  normal  schools, 
boy  scouts,  park  commissioners,  and  employees,  tree  doctors  as  well 
as  owners  of  lawn  trees,  chestnut  orchards  and  large  tracts.  Many 
visitors  were  from  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Maryland  and  other 
States.  Many  brought  specimens  for  identification. 

A surprising  fact  learned  at  these  fairs  was  the  ignorance  of  people 
concerning  the  blight.  The  belief  is  common  that  it  is  caused  by 
insects ; on  the  other  hand  many  people  knew  a great  deal  about  it. 

Representatives  of  several  other  fairs  not  on  our  lists  were  anxious 
to  have  us  exhibit;  in  a few  cases  this  could  be  done,  but  several  such 
requests  had  to  be  refused. 

FRUIT  AND  NUT  GROWERS'  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Exhibits  and  lectures  have  been  given  before  the  Adams  County 
Fruit  Growers’  Association  at  Bendersville,  (he  Northern  Nut  Grow- 
ers’ Association  at  Lancaster,  the  Perry  County  Fruit  Growers’  As- 
sociation, and  the  Wyoming  County  Horticultural  Society.  An 
exhibit  was  also  made  at  the  State  Grange  meeting  at  Clearfield  in 
December. 

FARMERS'  INSTITUTES. 

Arrangements  were  made  with  Hon.  A.  L.  Martin,  Director  of 
Farmers’  Institutes,  to  give  us  a place  upon  the  program  at  103 
Farmers’  Institutes,  which  were  selected  as  being  located  where  they 
would  be  of  the  most  value  for  our  purpose.  The  subject  matter  of 
each  lecture  is  outlined  and  approved  before  the  Institute  begins. 

EXHIBITS. 

Arrangements  have  been  made  to  install  a permanent  exhibition 
in  the  Philadelphia  Commercial  Museum,  which  will  be  as  complete 


ns  possible.  Adequate  cabinet  space  and  whatever  printing  is  neces- 
sary will  be  furnished  by  the  Museum.  Twenty  small  photographs 
are  now  being  enlarged  by  the  Museum,  for  this  purpose. 

It  was  arranged  to  place  a similar  exhibit  in  the  State  Capitol 
Museum  at  Harrisburg.  Other  exhibits  not  so  elaborate  might  be 
placed  in  other  places  where  conditions  are  favorable. 

T E A C I-I E JR  S ' I N STITU TES. 

Exhibits  and  lectures  were  given  before  twenty-six  of  the  Teachers’ 
Institutes.  In  making  these  exhibits  the  material  is  carried  in  a box 
made  of  chestnut  wood  and  includes  three  cases  of  blighted  specimens 
under  glass,  pictures,  maps,  and  literature.  At  these  institutes  the 
co-operation  of  the  teachers  is  requested  in  the  following  ways: 

First.  To  have  a complete  set  of  publications  on  the  subject  in  the 
libraries.  Second.  To  collect  and  display  a good  set  of  specimens. 
Third.  To  give  the  pupils  an  explanation  of  Ihe  cause  and  nature  of 
the  blight  disease.  Fourth.  To  make  field  trips  occasionally  for 
• showing  the  disease  in  its  natural  condition. 

NORMAL  SCHOOLS  AND  COLLEGES. 

As  yet  little  has  been  done  to  bring  the  subject  of  the  chestnut 
blight  before  the  normal  schools  and  colleges  on  account  of  the  lack 
of  help  in  such  work;  however,  it  is  expected  that  during  the  winter 
we  can  have  the  subject  included  in  the  Science  courses  of  study,  and 
have  an  occasional  illustrated  lecture  and  exhibit  jat  these  in- 
stitutions. 

In  the  full  report  appended,  a complete  list  of  fair  exhibits  and  all 
farmers’  and  teachers’  institutes  is  given. 


THE  SILVICULTURAL  EFFECT  OF  THE  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT. 


By  Hon.  I.  C.  Williams,  Collaborator,  State  Forestry  Department . 

The  following  statement  as  to  the  silvicultural  effect  of  the  chest- 
nut blight  on  future  forestry  management  within  the  State  is  fur- 
nished by  Mr.  I.  C.  Williams,  Collaborator  of  the  Commission,  and 
Deputy  Commissioner  of  Forestry: — - 
The  present  stand  of  chestnut  trees  in  Pennsylvania  is  in  most 
instances  a third  crop,  and  sometimes  we  find  even  a fourth  crop  or 
third  regeneration.  The  frequent  cutting  of  chestnut  in  Pennsylvania 
has  weakened  the  stump  and  root  systems  of  the  trees  cut.  Each 
regeneration  of  sprouts  probably  arises  with  less  vitality  than  the 


02 


preceding  one.  If  our  trees  continue  to  be  cut  and  regenerated  in 
accordance  with  the  old  system,  it  is  probable,  we  shall  exhaust  this- 
species  of  tree  in  time  even  without  assistance  from  the  chestnut 
blight. 

The  wild,  sweet  chestnut  is  the  best  forest  tree  remaining  in 
quantity  in  Pennsylvania.  It  is  best  because  of  quantity  and  is 
the  tree  to  which  the  lumbermen  of  the  State  will  probably  have  to 
turn  while  waiting  for  other  and  still  better  trees  to  be  developed. 
Of  all  our  forest  trees  the  chestnut  undoubtedly  has  the  best  sprout 
regeneration.  This  is  another  fact  which  makes  the  tree  of  unusual 
value  at  this  time. 

In  cutting  chestnut  the  custom  has  been  to  leave  high  stumps.  The 
succeeding  circle  of  sprouts  will  generally  be  found  rather  high  on  the 
stump.  As  the  sprout  growth  increases  in  size  the  stump  of  the 
parent  tree  within  slowly  rots  away.  This  decay  causes  the  young 
sprouts  to  have  an  insecure  foothold  and  a minimum  of  root  system, 
and  they  are  almost  certain  to  be  decayed  upon  the  inner  side.  Tree 
rot  once  started  is  almost  sure  to  continue.  Because  these  conditions 
are  general,  our  present  sprout  growth  is  necessarily  of  a weakened 
and  less  valuable  character.  Young  trees  thus  situated  are  easily 
thrown  by  the  wind,  are  an  open  prey  to  insect  enemies,  and  are  by 
no  means  of  the  good  character  they  might  be  under  different  and 
better  conditions. 

The  presence  of  the  chestnut  blight  and  the  necessity  for  ils 
destruction  has  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  people  a new  method 
of  treating  this  tree.  The  cutting  out  method  of  dealing  with  the 
blight  requires  that  the  trees  be  cut  low,  that  the  bark  be  removed 
from  the  stump  to  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  that  the  blighted 
wood,  bark,  and  other  refuse  of  the  tree  be  burned  upon  the  stump. 
After  such  treatment  little  or  no  portion  of  the  stump  remains  above 
the  surface  of  the  ground.  Any  sprout  regeneration  will  come  from 
the  upper  side  of  the  main  living  roots.  As  a matter  of  expei'ience,  it 
is  found  that  such  firing  of  the  stump  does  not  kill  the  main  roois 
and  that  they  produce  a better  sprout  regeneration  than  formerly  was 
had  from  the  high  stump.  Such  new  sprout  will  shortly  make  for 
itself  a complete  new  root  system  and  will  be  independent  of  the 
parent  stump,  the  decay  of  which  will  affect  it  slightly  or  not  at  all. 
The  utilization  of  our  present  blighted  chestnut  stock,  if  carefully 
made  and  the  refuse  disposed  of  as  stated,  will  assist  in  producing 
not  only  a regenerated  stand  of  chestnut  but  one  that  will  be  better 
in  all  respects  than  any  preceding  stand  except  possibly  the  original 
seedling  primeval  forest.  A knowledge  of  these  facts  brought  to  the 
people  of  Pennsylvania  who  are  owners  of  chestnut  woods  will  be 
and  ought  to  be  of  great  value.  If  this  new  method  of  handling  their 
woodlots  is  carefully  adhered  t6  they  will  not  only  retain  their  chest- 
nut groves  but  have  them  of  better  character  than  ever  before. 


Fig.  50. 

Photograph  of  a canker  on  a chestnut  telephone  pole,  showing  how  wood-boring 
insects  prefer  such  places  for  their  entrance  burrows. 


Fig.  51 

Extract  from  wood  and  bark. 


Sound  material. 
With  Tannin 
tannin,  removed. 


Plight  material. 
With  Tannin 
tannin,  removed. 


Fig. 


52. 


rwo  cankers  on  cultivated  grafted  chestnut  tree,  after  surgical  treatment;  coated 
with  coal  tar  to  prevent  reinfection.  Kennett  Square,  Pa. 


Pierre  DuPont,  at  Kennet  Square,  Pa. 


Fig.  54. 

Spraying  Bordeaux  Mixture  4-5-50  on  large  chestnut  trees  at  estate  of  Pierre  DuPont. 
Sprayed  every  two  weeks  from  April  to  middle  of  November,  1912.  Kennett 
Square,  Pa. 


Fig.  55. 

Spraying  Bordeaux  Mixture  4-5-50,  formula,  on  large  chestnut  trees  at  estate  of 
Pierre  DuPont.  Spraying  done  every  two  weeks  from  April  to  middle  of  Novem- 
ber, 1912.  Kennett  Square,  Pa. 


Fig.  5G. 

Rainfall  in  Pennsylvania,  Spring,  1911. 


-it  6\  - ww  p°°  niaicLV  ‘voatvw 

SblOai  NOUnVuLl^  133^1^  HVlLOJLj 


Map  of  Pennsylvania  completed  January  1st,  1013.  The  dots  show  the  relative  progress  of  the  blight  across  the  State.  Each  dc 
in  the  wetsern  district  represents  a known  spot  infection  of  from  one  to  one  thousand  trees.  The  percentage  of  blight  is  show 
diagramatically  in  the  Eastern  District. 


. 


Fig.  62. 

Chestnut  used  for  interior  finish. 


i: 


Fig.  63. 

General  view  of  combination  portable  saw  and  shingle  mill.  A type  of  mill  which 
will  effect  closer  utilization  of  blighted  chestnut  than  the  saw  mill  alone. 


Shingles  ready  for  shipping 


Fig.  64. 

Staves  made  from  blighted  chestnut,  bundled,  ready  for  shipping. 


Produced  by  portable  shingle  mill  from  blighted 
chestnut. 


Fig.  66. 

Chestnut  on  the  farm.  Mortised  posts  made  from  blighted  chestnut. 


Fig.  67. 

Portable  Saw  Mill — The  type  cf  mill  that  must  be  depended  upon  to  furnish  lumbe 
from  blighted  chestnut  of  saw  log  size. 


Fig'.  6S. 

General  view  of  portable  stave  mill  operating  in  blighted  chestnut.  This  kind 
of  mill  can  utilize  chestnut  unfit  for  saw  logs  or  shingles. 


! 


Fig.  G9. 

Chestnut  on  the  farm.  Rails  for  use  in  mortised  posts  made  from  blighted  chestnut. 


63 


A further  result  of  the  experience  had  in  cutting  out  blighted 
chestnut  wood  is  that  when  the  work  is  properly  done  and  refuse 
completely  burned  on  top  of  the  stump,  which  should  be  deeply 
charred,  the  resulting  sprouts  show  little  or  no  attack  of  the  blight 
at  the  base.  Such  attack,  if  any,  is  usually  found  in  the  tips  of  the 
branches,  indicating  rather  strongly  that  the  infection  came  not  from 
the  old  stump  or  the  soil  but  that  the  spores  were  carried  from  nearby 
infected  stock. 

This  kind  of  treatment,  if  faithfully  adhered  to,  can  be  nothing 
other  than  good.  With  complete  utilization  of  the  present  infected 
stand  we  may  look  for  a regenerated  chestnut  forest  of  the  best 
character.  Watchfulness,  of  course,  will  be  necessary  probably  for  a 
term  of  years,  or  until  some  method  shall  be  found  by  which  this 
disease  may  be  destroyed  other  than  by  cutting  the  trees.  To  Pennsyl- 
vania and  to  the  chestnut  forests  of  this  State  the  determined  effort  to 
destroy  the  chestnut  blight  at  this  time  will  be  of  great  value  and  this 
result  alone  will  justify  the  expenditure  of  all  the  money  and  all  the 
labor  even  if  no  other  result  will  be  obtained. 

A further  result,  however,  is  almost  certain  to  follow  in  that  the 
people  of  our  State  will  have  had  their  attention  very  pointedly 
called  to  the  need  for  better  forest  treatment,  not  only  of  trees  in 
groups  but  of  trees  as  individuals;  and  the  awakened  consciousness 
of  our  people  to  the  value  of  present  tree  growth  and  the  dangers 
which  threaten  almost  every  species  of  tree  will  be  of  the  greatest 
possible  service  in  enabling  them  to  see  the  need  of  a more  construc- 
tive system  of  tree  management.  The  ultimate  result  of  such  knowl- 
edge can  be  nothing  other  than  the  general  restoration  of  tree  growth 
to  those  lands  within  the  State  which  are  of  little  or  no  value  for  any 
other  purpose  than  producing  trees. 


REGULATIONS  GOVERNING  TREATMENT  OF  TREES  FOUND 
INFECTED  WITH  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT. 


ADOPTED  BY  THE  CHESTNUT  TREE  BLIGHT  COMMISSION,  JAN- 
UARY 7,  1913. 

WHEREAS,  since  it  is  found  necessary  to  make  certain  regulations 
in  order  to  provide  for  the  prevention,  control  and  eradication  of  the 
chestnut  tree  blight,  it  is 

RESOLVED  by  this  Commission  Unit  the  following  regulations,  be 
adopted,  and  as  occasion  may  rise,  such  other  and  further  regulations, 
and  the  altering  or  amending  of  the  same  as  may  seem  to  it  neces- 
sary. 


5 


04 


REGULATION  No.  1.  For  the  purpose  of  quarantine,  a division 
shall  be  made  between  the  slightly  infected  Western  portion  of  the 
State,  and  the  badly  infected  Eastern  portion.  The  line  of  demar- 
cation at  present  shall  be  as  follows: — the  eastern  boundary  lines  of 
Fulton,  Huntingdon,  Mifflin,  Centre,  Clinton,  Lycoming,  Sullivan  and 
Bradford  counties.  These  portions  shall  be  known  respectively  as 
the  Western  and  Eastern  Districts. 

REGULATION  No.  2.  In  the  Eastern  District  the  blight  is  so 
prevalent  that  apparently  the  only  course  of  procedure  practical  is 
the  ultilization  of  all  diseased  chestnut  trees  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
All  diseased  trees  must  be  removed  within  a distance  of  one  half  mile 
from  the  nearest  boundary  of  all  chestnut  orchards  or  nurseries  the 
owners  of  which  are  themselves  applying  adequate  protective  meas- 
ures. In  all  other  portions  of  the  Eastern  District,  owners  are  urged 
to  cut  all  diseased  trees,  and  where  the  amount  of  blight  is  SO  per- 
cent or  more,  both  diseased  and  sound  trees,  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
the  full  value  from  the  merchantable  products  of  these  trees  and  also 
to  reduce  the  chances  of  further  infection  and  lessen  the  dissemina- 
tion of  the  disease  from  east  to  west. 

Owners  of  valuable  ornamental,  orchard  or  shade  trees,  are  recom- 
mended to  use  the  surgical  methods  outlined  in  bulletin  No.  2 of  this 
Commission.  Trees  so  treated  should  be  inspected  for  reoccurrence 
of  the  blight,  every  six  weeks  from  April  1st  to  November  1st  by  the 
owner  or  his  agent,  and  the  trees  or  diseased  parts  promptly  treated  as 
found  necessary. 

Immediately  following  the  cutting  of  diseased  trees,  all  stumps 
should  be  peeled  clean  of  bark  to  the  ground  line  and  all  brush  from 
tops,  bark  fragments,  and  other  refuse  burned  so  that  sound  sprouts 
will  be  developed.  It  is  recommended  that  the  trees  be  cut  low  and 
the  burning  done  directly  over  the  stumps. 

All  felled  chestnut  trees  whether  diseased  or  not,  should  be  im- 
mediately removed  from  the  woods  and  utilized,  so  that  they  may 
not  become  a breeding  place  for  the  blight  fungus.  Shipments  of 
unpeeled  blighted  wood  must  be  made  in  closed  cars. 

REGULATION  No.  3.  Tn  the  Western  District  and  where  cutting 
is  enforced  in  the  Eastern  District,  the  following  procedure  shall  be 
strictly  adhered  to.  After  the  agent  of  the  Commission  has  inspected 
the  chestnut  trees  on  any  property  and  has  found  diseased  trees,  the 
same  shall  be  blazed  at  breast  height,  stamped  with  the  official  mark 
of  the  Commission,  numbered  consecutively  and  tagged  as  follows: — 

No 

THIS  TREE  IS  INFECTED  WITH  THE  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT. 

This  tree  must  be  felled,  the  diseased  bark  removed  and  the  stump 
peeled  to  the  ground,  within  twenty  days  after  notice  to  owner  or 


65 


agent.  All  bark  and  unused  portions  of  the  tree  shall  be  burned  on  the 
stump.  Where  such  burning  will  injure  adjoining  Wees  it  should  be 
done  at  a safe  distance,  in  which  case  the  stump  must  be  painted  with 
creosote,  in  place  of  burning.  Portions  of  this  tree  to  be  utilized  must 
be  removed  within  twenty  days  after  felling.  Poles,  posts,  rails,  and 
other  products  exposed  to  weather  shall  be  peeled  of  bark.  Take  spe- 
cial care  to  prevent  forest  fires. 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission, 

By 

Field  Agent. 

Following  this  a sheet  showing  the  approximate  location  of  each 
diseased  tree  shall  be  delivered  to  the  owner  of  the  trees,  his  agent, 
or  employee,  or  other  person  responsible  for  the  care  of  (lie  property, 
together  with  written  or  verbal  explanation  of  the  necessity  for  the 
removal  of  the  diseased  tree  and  the  method  of  procedure.  A dupli- 
cate copy  of  the  infection  sheet,  marked  with  the  date  of  notification 
and  the  name  of  the  person  interviewed  shall  be  mailed  to  the  field 
headquarters.  The  process  of  removal  of  infected  trees  shall  be  as 
follows: — First.  Where  the  ground  beneath  an  infected  tree  is  covered 
with  a dense  growth  of  brush,  this  growth  may  be  cleared  so  that  the 
diseased  chips  and  branches  may  be  easily  picked  up,  provided  that 
any  small  chestnut  or  chinquapin  trees  or  sprouts  shall  be  cut  flush 
with  the  surface  of  the  ground  and  the  tops  burned. 

All  the  trees  should  be  felled  so  as  to  leave  as  low  a stump  as 
possible.  If  felled  with  an  axe  the  bark  shall  first  be  removed  from 
the  part  of  the  trunk  through  which  the  cut  is  to  be  made  to  an  inch 
below  the  surface  of  the  soil.  If  felled  by  sawing,  such  peeling  may 
be  done  after  the  tree  has  been  cut  down.  In  either  case  the  stump 
and  all  exposed  roots  must  be  cleared  of  every  particle  of  bark,  and 
all  bark  removed  must  be  carefully  collected  and  burned. 

After  the  tree  is  felled,  all  portions  above  the  stump  which  show 
mycelium  or  pustules  of  the  blight  shall  be  peeled  of  bark  or  the  entire 
piece  cut  out  and  burned.  The  brush  from  tops,  the  bark,  and  portions 
of  the  felled  chestnut  trees  which  are  not  peeled  and  which  it  is  not 
intended  to  utilize  shall  also  be  burned. 

After  the  stump  is  peeled,  if  fire  can  be  made  over  it  without  in- 
juring the  surrounding  trees,  and  without  danger  of  forest  fires,  the 
brush  and  refuse  collected  shall  be  piled  over  the  stump  and  burned. 
The  fallen  leaves  around  the  stump  over  an  area  as  far  as  the  diseased 
portions  of  the  felled  tree  extended,  shall  be  carefully  raked  into  the 
fire  and  burned.  The  fire  must  entirely  consume  or  deeply  char  all 
of  the  material ; no  small  ends  of  branches  and  small  twigs  shall  be 
allowed  to  remain.  If  it  is  impossible  to  make  the  fire  over  the  stump 
without  injuring  the  surrounding  trees,  the  sides  and -top  of  the 
stump  shall  be  coated  with  creosote. 


60 


Portions  of  infected  trees  which  show  no  evidence  of.  the  blight  shall 
not  be  permitted  to  lie  in  the  woods  over  twenty  days,  but  may  be 
handled  and  shipped  with  the  bark  on  provided  it  is  shipped  promptly 
in  closed  cars.  If  the  wood  from  the  diseased  trees  is  not  removed 
from  the  woods  within  twenty  days  from  the  time  the  trees  are  felled 
it  must  be  peeled  and  the  bark  burned,  or  else  wood  and  bark  burned. 
Wood  from  diseased  trees  to  be  used  where  exposed  to  the  weather 
must  be  peeled.  Fire  wood  if  kept  under  dry  cover  need  not  be  peeled. 

If  the  owner  or  other  person  responsible  for  the  destruction  of  the 
diseased  trees  starts  immediately  to  treat  them  as  directed,  the  agent 
of  the  Commission  shall  see  that  this  work  is  done  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  regulations  governing  this  procedure  and  shall  give  all 
possible  assistance.  If  at  the  end  of  twenty  days  the  infected  trees 
have  not  been  treated  according  to  tbe  regulations  of  the  Commission, 
or  if  the  work  has  been  improperly  done,  or  the  owner,  his  agent,  or 
employee  refuses  to  do  this  work  according  to  the  regulations  of  the 
Commission  then,  on  the  twenty-first  day  after  the  notice  to  remove 
these  trees  was  first  given,  the  agent  of  the  Commission  shall  employ 
laborers  and  begin  the  work  of  removing  such  infected  trees  according 
to  the  method  above  described.  Immediately  after  such  work  is  per- 
formed be  shall  furnish  to  I he  field  headquarters  a detailed  statement 
of  the  expenses  so  incurred  by  the  Commission.  The  amount  of  these 
expenses  must  be  paid  by  the  owner  within  sixty  days  from  date  of 
presentation  of  a bill  for  the  same. 


67 


CHESTNUT  ‘TREE  BLIGHT  COMMISSION. 
Financial  Statement  showing  account  December  17th,  1912. 


Received  from  State  Treasury. 


August  22,  1911.  . 
November  22,  1911, 

April  4,  1912,  

June  11,  1912,  

June  18,  1912,  

August  16,  1912,  . 
October  3,  1912,  .. 
November  14,  1912, 
December  17,  1912, 


$2,000  00 

3,000  00 

3,000  00 

3,000  00 


5,000  00 


Interest  from  Comml.  Trust  Co.,  Dec.  31,  1911,- 
Interest  from  Comml.  Trust  Co.,  July  1,  1912, 


$16,000  00 
15  21 
18  44 


Expenditures  as  per  detailed  statement  below, 

Bal.  available  in  Phila.  Dec.  3,  1912,  plus  warrant  de- 
posited Dec.  17,  1912,  

Contingent  fund  (S.  B.  D.),  $700  00 

Contingent  fund  (M.  A.  C.),- 800  00 

Commonwealth  Trust  Co.,  37,133  12 


$16,033  05 
11,222  62 


Balance  in  State  Treasury, 


Balance  of  appropriation,  

Vouchers  ready  for  submission, 


,G33  12 


$4,811  03 


9,000  00 


$13,811  03 
1,307  3S 


Net  resources , 

Balance  in  State  Treasury, 


$12,503  65 
‘ 9,000  00 


Balance  on  band  in  Philadelphia,  Dec.  17,  1912, 


$3,503  65 


$8,000  00 

20,000  OO 

20,000  00 


30,000  OO 

30,000  00 

30.000  00 

20.000  00 

30,000  OO 


$1S8,OCO  00 
85  18 
165  94 


$188,251  12 
154,429  03 


$33,882  09 


02,000  00 

$95,822  09 
9.788  04 


$86,034  05 

62,000  OO 


$24,034  05 


$10,000  00 

23,000  00 

23.000  00 

3,000  00 

30.000  00 

30,000  00 

30.000  00 

25.000  00 

30.000  00 


$204,000  00 
100  39 
184  38 


$204,281  77 
165,651  65 


$38,633  12 


71,000  00 


$109,633  12 
11,095  42 


$9S,537  70 

71,000  OO 


$27,537  70 


DETAILS  OF  EXPENDITURES. 


Scientific  research. 
Office  furniture,  ... 
Field  equipment, 
Traveling  expenses. 

Office  salaries,  

Office  expenses,  

Field  expenses,  

Field  salaries,  


* 

From  S.  R.  and  office 
fund. 

'a 

a 

*2 

as 

t-i 

a 

a> 

6X1 

a 

o 

i*5 

Totals. 

$4,131  57 

$4,131  57 

1,660  10 

1,660  10 

125  57 

$3,763  08 

3,888  65 

60  20 

13,104  74 

13,164  94 

4,390  58 

4,390  5S 

809  10 

6 30 

815  40 

44  OO 

53,897  53 

53,941  53 

1 50 

83,657  38 

83,658  88 

$11,222  62 

$154,429  03 

$165,651  65 

Respectfully  submitted  to  Winthrop  Sargent,  Chairman. 

D.  T.  McCAMPBELL,  Chief  Clerk. 


(68) 


FIG.  I. 

SCOUTING  AND  INFECTION  MAP  OF  PENNSYLVANIA  TO  JULY  1,  1913. 


Commonwealth  ol  Pennsylvania 


FINAL  REPORT 


OF  THE 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree 
Blight  Commission 


JANUARY  1 TO  DECEMBER  15,  1913 


1112  Morris  Building,  1421  Chestnut  Street, 
PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


HARRISBURG-,  PA.: 

WM . STANLEY  RA1 , STATE  PRINTER 

1914 


SCHOOL  OF  FORESTRY 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight 

Commission 


MEMBERS  OF  COMMISSION 


Winthrop  Sargent,  Chairman Bryn  Mawr 

Harold  Peirce,  Secretary Haverford 

Samuel  T.  Bodine Villa  Nova 

George  F.  Craig,  Rosemont 

Theodore  N.  Ely Bryn  Mawr 


EXECUTIVE  STAFF 

Mark  Alfred  Carleton,  General  Manager 
Samuel  B.  Detwiler,  General  Superintendent 
Oliver  D.  Schock,  Assistant  General  Superintendent 
Thomas  E.  Francis,  Field  Manager,  Western  District 
Joseph  R.  Wilson,  Field  Manager,  Eastern  District 
David  T.  McCampbell,  Chief  Clerk 


Irvin  C.  Williams,  (Pennsylvania  State  Forestry  Department),  Collaborator 


SCIENTIFIC  AND  OPERATIVE  STAFF 

Frederick  D.  Heald,  Pathologist 

A.  G.  Ruggles,  Entomologist 

J.  P.  Wentling,  Forester. in  charge  of  Utilization 

Paul  J.  Anderson,  Field  Pathologist 

F.  P.  Gulliver,  Geographer 

Caroline  Rumbold,  Physiologist  in  charge  of  Tree  Medication 
Joseph  Shrawder,  Chemist 
Roy  G.  Pierce,  Tree  Surgeon 

Keller  E.  Roekey,  Forester  in  charge  of  Demonstration  Work 


a) 


(2) 


Contents 


Page. 

Advance  spot  blight  infections ; treatment  of  various  plats,  76-79 


Ants  as  carriers  of  blight  spores;  experiments  with,  44 

Bast-miner ; relation  of  insect  to  dissemination  of  blight,  45 

Beattie,  Prof.  R.  Kent;  Bibliography  of  the  chestnut  bark  disease,  95-121 

Bibliography  of  the  chestnut  bark  disease,  95-121 

Blight  investigation  and  inspection  of  chestnut  nurseries,  40 

Blighted  sprouts  around  stumps  of  trees  cut  at  Hummelstown,  90 

Burning  over  chestnut  tree  stumps;  statement  of  results,  77 

Carbon  county,  (Mahoning  Valley),  blight  conditions,  64 

Carleton,  Mark  A.,  General  Manager,  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight 

Commission  ; Final  report  of,  27 

Cicada  sting  wounds  favorable  for  spread  of  chestnut  bark  disease,  45 

Chemical  investigations  in  connection  with  blight,  47 

Chestnut  trees  a valuable  factor  in  Pennsylvania  forest  wealth,  10 

Chestnut  trees,  rapid  growth  of,  10 

Chestnut  trees  in  Pennsylvania ; threatened  extermination  of,  10 

Chestnut  cord-wood,  reduced  freight  rates  on,  57 

Chestnut  nursery  stock ; regulations  governing  shipments  of,  91 

Chestnut  orchards  and  nurseries,  protection  of  against  blight,  29 

Chestnut  bark  disease ; fake  remedies  for,  30 

Chestnut  trees,  various  diseases  of,  42 

Chestnut  tree  medication,  results  of,  48 

Chestnut  tree  blight  exhibits  at  museums  and  schools,  58 

Chestnut  timber;  deterioration  of  blighted,  56 

Chestnut  tree  blight;  methods  of  dissemination,  63 

Chestnut  tree  blight;  combatting  the  fungus,  10 

Chestnut  trees ; products  of  blighted  trees  marketable,  11 

Chestnut  tree  blight;  how  destructive  pest  was  spread,  11 

Chestnut  tree  blight;  discovery  of  its  prevalence  in  China,  28 

Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission;  active  work  suspended  with  regret,  12 

Chestnut  tree  blight  infection  in  Western  District,  37 

Chestnut  tree  blight ; first  report  of  appearance  in  Pennsylvania  filed  by 

Harold  Peirce,  of  Haverford,  Montgomery  county,  17 

Chestnut  tree  blight  in  Wildwood  Park,  Harrisburg;  successful  treatment  of,  30 

Chestnut  tree  blight  exhibits;  where  made,  32 

Co-operative  work  of  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Pennsylvania 

State  Forestry  Department,  33 

Creosoting  peeled  chestnut  stumps;  tabulated  results  of,  78 

Cutting-out  process;  effectiveness  of  treatment  of  method,  27 

Detwiler,  Samuel  B.,  Superintendent.  Reports  of  observations  on  sanita- 
tion cutting  of  blighted  chestnut  areas,  63 

Discovery  of  chestnut  bark  disease  in  China,  28 

Eastern  Pennsylvania  blight  conditions,  67 

Eradicating  the  chestnut  blight;  estimated  cost  of  operations,  78 

Field  work  of  scouts  and  valuable  results  obtained,  36 

Field  work  in  Eastern  District,  report  relating  to,  38 

Field  laboratory  work  and  special  investigations,  43 

Galls  on  chestnut  and  relation  to  blight  infections,  47 


(3) 


4 


Page. 

Geographical  work;  report  of  observations,  52 

Gulliver,  Dr.  F.  P.,  Geographer;  Report  of  geographic  work,  52 

Harmless  saprophyte  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  38 

Heald,  Dr.  F.  D.,  Pathologist;  Investigations  of  tree  diseases,  40 

Regulations  for  chestnut  nursery  inspections,  93 

History  of  early  efforts  to  eradicate  blight  in  Pennsylvania,  17 

Infection  of  chestnut  in  Western  Pennsylvania ; tabulated  report,  37 

Infection  centres  on  advance  line  of  the  blight,  71 

Infection  at  Orbisonia,  Huntingdon  county;  tabular  statement,  72 

Insects ; beneficial  by  destroying  spores  of  blight,  28 

Insects  as  carriers  of  the  chestnut  blight  spores,  42 

Insect  investigations ; valuable  facts  ascertained  by,  44 

Law,  amendment  to  chestnut  blight,  94 

Legislative  action  to  control  blight  in  Pennsylvania  recommended,  22 

Lime-sulphur  solution  to  prevent  spread  of  blight,  51 

Local  field  work;  how  conducted  in  generally  infected  districts,  40 

Main  Line  Citizens’  Association;  valuable  services  rendered  by,  19 

Message  from  the  Governor  suggesting  legislative  help,  21 

Mickleborough,  Dr.  John  W.  ; combatting  the  chestnut  blight,  19 

Murrill,  Prof.  W.  A.  ; plan  proposed  to  combat  chestnut  blight,  23 

Nursery  inspections;  regulating  shipment  of  nursery  stock,  28 

Nursery  chestnut  stock ; list  of  inspections,  43 

Official  letter  from  the  Commission  to  Governor  Tener,  9 

Official  report  of  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission,  9-13 

Origin  of  the  chestnut  blight  disease,  11 

Oldest  infections  located  near  New  York  City,  9 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission,  Members  of,  1 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission  ; Executive  Staff  of,  1 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission ; Scientific  and  operative 

staff,  1 

Pennsylvania  initial  State  to  combat  spread  of  blight,  10 

Pierce,  Roy  G.,  Tree  Surgeon;  Report  of  tree  surgery  work,  50 

Production  of  blight  spores,  41 

Publications  relating  to  the  chestnut  blight,  list  of,  95 

Publicity  work;  valuable  assistance  rendered  by  newspapers,  59 

Publications  issued  by  the  Commission;  reports  and  bulletins,  33 

Pycnospores  and  ascospores ; development  and  dissemination  of,  42 

Reinspections  for  blight;  notes  on,  86 

Relation  of  soils  to  prevalence  of  blight,  52 

Resistant  and  immume  chestnut  stocks;  search  for,  32 

Rockey,  Keller  E.  ; Report  of  public  demonstration  work,  57 

Rumbold,  Dr.  Caroline;  Experiments  in  chestnut  tree  medication,  48 

Ruggles,  Prof.  A.  G. ; Report  of  results  of  special  insect  investigations,  44 

Sargent,  Winthrop,  Secretary  of  Commission;  final  official  report  of,  9 

Schock,  Oliver  D.,  Assistant  Superintendent;  valuable  co-operative  work  of 

the  press  acknowledged,  6Q 

Scientific  research ; prompt  and  thorough  work  urged,  12 

Scouting  for  the  chestnut  blight,  73 

Shrawder,  Joseph,  Chemist;  Report  of  chemical  investigations,  47 

Spot  infections ; procedure  to  eradicate,  73 

Suggestions  for  information  of  chestnut  timber  owners,  38 

Tener,  Hon.  John  K.,  Governor;  message  to  the  Legislature  relative  to  the 

chestnut  blight  disease,  21 

Topton  Mountain,  Berks  county;  study  of  blight  conditions,  68 


5 


Page. 


Treatment  of  infected  timber  and  disposal  of  lumber,  38 

Treatment  of  infected  chestnut  areas,  74 

Tree  surgery;  examinations  made  and  results  of  operations,  50 

Unfinished  work  of  Commission ; experiments  in  progress  and  work  con- 
templated,   34 

Utilization  of  blighted  chestnut  a serious  problem,  54 

Value  of  chestnut  destroyed  in  Pennsylvania,  59 

Williams,  Hon.  Irvin  C.,  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Forestry;  Report  as 

Collaborator  of  Pennsylvania  Department  of  Forestry,  17 

Wentling,  Prof.  J.  P.  ; Report  upon  utilization  of  blighted  chestnut,  54 


(6) 


Official  Letter 


to 

Hon.  John  K.  Tener 

Governor  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania 


(7) 


(8) 


Scouting  for  the  chestnut  tree  blight. 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


THE  COMMISSION  FOR  THE  INVESTIGATION  AND  CONTROL 
OF  THE  CHESTNUT  TREE  BLIGHT  IN  PENNSYLVANIA 

1112  Morris  Building,  Broad  and  Chestnut  Streets 

Philadelphia,  December  9th,  1913. 
HON.  JOHN  K.  TENER,  Governor, 

Harrisburg,  Penna. 

Sir:  We  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  our  report  of  the 
operations  of  this  Commission  for  a portion  of  the  year  1913,  this 
being  also  the  final  report  of  the  Commission. 

Eastern  Asia,  the  home  of  the  San  Jose  scale,  has  been  found  to 
be  also  the  home  of  the  chestnut  blight.  The  disease  has  been  found 
definitely  in  northeastern  China;  probably  it  is  also  present  in 
Japan.  There  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  it  found  its  way  to  this 
country  in  the  same  way  that  the  San  Jose  scale  did,  on  nursery 
stock,  and  at  about  the  same  time,  or  perhaps  somewhat  later.  Any 
system  of  strict  inspection  of  imported  nursery  stock  could  have 
kept  it  out  of  this  country,  but  no  such  system  was  then  in  use. 
It  would  probably  not  have  been  possible  at  that  time  to  secure  a 
law  authorizing  such  inspection  because  of  the  lack  of  public  ap- 
preciation of  the  seriousness  of  imported  fungous  and  insect  epi- 
demics. 

The  oldest  known  spots  of  chestnut  blight  infection  are  in  the 
neighborhood  of  New  York  City.  Here  again  the  disease  could  have 
been  checked  at  an  early  date  and  never  found  its  way  into  Penn- 
sylvania, but  nothing  of  the  sort  was  even  attempted.  In  fact, 
even  up  to  1911,  no  official  work  was  done  in  New  York  upon  the 
disease.  In  1908  Murrill*  advocated  cutting  out  all  chestnut  trees 
within  half  a mile  of  diseased  trees,  but  this  plan  was  never  put  into 
practice  in  New  York.  In  general,  the  greatest  conservatism  has 
prevailed  regarding  the  seriousness  of  the  disease.  The  view  that 
the  fungus  was  native  to  America,  and  its  great  virulence  due  to 
winter  injury  and  other  temporary  climatic  effects  upon  the  trees, 
has  been  strenuously  advocated.  The  Commission  from  the  first, 
however,  adopted  the  theory  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  that 
the  disease  was  of  foreign  origin  and  hence  to  be  considered  in 
the  light  of  a dangerous  invader.  This  view  has  since  been  amply 

^Journal  of  the  New  York  Botanical  Garden,  Vol.  9,  No.  98,  p.  39. 

(9) 


10 


justified.  Pennsylvania  was  the  first  state  to  treat  the  epidemic 
seriously,  but  by  the  time  the  Commission  was  able  to  begin  work 
the  disease  was  spread  over  the  eastern  half  of  the  State  too  com- 
pletely to  make  its  eradication  there  possible. 

Twenty  years  ago  such  an  epidemic  as  the  present  one  would 
have  attracted  little  attention,  but  now  the  prices  of  all  classes  of 
timber  have  been  for  some  years  increasing,  and  promise  to  continue 
to  increase  indefinitely.  It  is  obvious  that  every  possible  care  must 
be  taken  of  the  present  forest  stand;  upon  this  point  there  is  no 
longer  disagreement.  In  Pennsylvania  the  chestnut  is  especially 
valuable,  standing  in  intimate  relation  to  many  of  the  leading  indus- 
tries of  the  State.  It  is  distributed  throughout  the  State,  compris- 
ing at  least  one-fifth,  possibly  one-third,  of  the  timber.  It  is  naturally 
adapted  to  poor,  hilly  land  not  suited  for  agriculture,  and  will  pro- 
duce profitable  yields  of  extract  wood,  fence  posts,  rails,  etc.,  in  25 
to  30  years;  and  ties,  poles,  and  saw  timber  in  40  to  50  years.  Be- 
cause of  its  comparatively  rapid  growth,  its  superior  ability  to 
perpetuate  itself  by  means  of  sprouts,  and  the  great  variety  of  its 
uses,  the  chestnut  may  be  considered  the  most  important  forest 
tree  in  the  State.  The  ease  with  which  chestnut  can  be  managed 
according  to  the  principles  of  forestry  made  it,  before  the  appear- 
ance of  the  blight,  one  of  the  principal  species  depended  upon  to 
solve  the  problem  of  the  future  timber  supply  of  the  State.  On 
steep  slopes,  where  (lie  per  cent,  of  chestnut  is  high,  serious  de- 
terioration, washing  of  the  soil,  and  reduction  in  water  supply  will 
undoubtedly  follow  the  destruction  of  the  chestnut  trees. 

The  complete  loss  of  the  present  commercial  stand  of  chestnut  in 
Pennsylvania,  which,  now  that  the  Commission  has  ceased  work, 
seems  absolutely  certain,  is  a calamity  which  will  be  fully  realized 
only  in  the  future.  In  matters  of  this  kind  we  have  obligations  to 
the  future,  aside  from  the  particular  emergency  in  hand.  This  is  not 
the  last  tree  disease  that  will  sweep  over  the  State.  All  efforts 
to  control  this  disease  would  be  justified  even  if  we  only  learned  how 
to  control  the  next  one.  Methods  which  may  not  be  practicable 
now  will  be  highly  practicable  twenty  years  from  now  on  account 
of  the  steady  increase  which  is  bound  to  come  in  timber  values.  The 
mere  fact  that  this  campaign  against  the  chestnut  blight  has  been 
undertaken  at  all  shows  a great  advance  of  thought  over  that  of 
previous  years. 

With  these  facts  in  mind,  it  is  obvious  that  three  courses  were 
possible,  when  the  extent  and  seriousness  of  the  chestnut  blight  was 
first  realized  in  Pennsylvania. 

First, — Do  nothing. 

Second, — Conduct  scientific  investigations  of  the  disease  ■with  the 


11 


hope  of  determining  by  laboratory  methods  and  very  small  field  ex- 
periments some  method  of  control. 

Third , — Conduct  scientific  investigations,  and  at  the  same  time 
immediately  attack  the  epidemic  by  any  and  every  means  that  seemed 
to  afford  any  possibility  of  checking  or  even  delaying  the  course  of 
the  disease.  To  follow  the  first  method  would  have  been  to  emulate 
simply  the  example  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey.  The  second 
course  had  many  points  in  its  favor,  but  it  was  obvious  that  such  a 
course  would  yield  no  results  in  time  to  be  used  on  the  present  epi- 
demic, though  possibly  of  the  largest  ultimate  value.  The  third 
course  appealed  to  the  Commission  as  the  only  one  possible  under 
existing  circumstances.  The  greatest  handicap  was  the  extent  to 
which  the  disease  was  already  present  in  the  State. 

In  the  eastern  half  of  the  State  the  disease  was  obviously  beyond 
control.  In  the  western  half  the  best  course  available,  and  in  fact 
the  only  method  that  has  been  proposed  at  all  for  control  of  the 
disease,  was  that  of  cutting  out  the  advance  infections.  While  this 
method  is  open  to  many  criticisms,  nothing  better  has  been  proposed 
even  to  the  present  time.  The  Commission  adopted  the  cutting  out 
methods  advocated  by  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  with  two 
exceptions:  (1)  Spots  of  considerable  size  were  cut  out  in  some 

cases;  that  is,  the  cuttings  were  not  limited  to  strictly  advance  in- 
fections. (2).  No  immune  zone  was  established  at  first,  although 
this  might  have  been  done  later.  The  method  was  essentially  that 
advocated  by  Murrill  in  190S,  except  that  trees  were  not  cut  to  as 
great  a distance  as  half  a mile  from  the  source  of  infection.  Detailed 
reports  of  the  cutting  out  work  are  appended.  It  is  sufficient  to  say 
here  that  the  progress  of  the  disease  in  the  western  half  of  the  State 
lias  been  set  back  five  years,  and  west  of  the  line  extending  from 
Bradford  to  Somerset  counties  there  is  little  infection,  and  what  in- 
fection there  is  dates  from  1913.  There  is  no  reasonable  doubt  that 
the  disease  could  have  been  kept  instatu  qxio  indefinitely,  had  the 
work  of  cutting  out  continued.  As  set  forth  in  the  appended  reports, 
the  methods  of  cutting  out  have  been  improved,  the  cost  determined 
and  reduced,  and  winter  scouting  established  as  a practical  method. 
These  methods  developed  by  the  Commission  are  now  in  active  use 
in  the  States  of  Virginia  and  West  Virginia,  where  the  campaign  of 
eradication  is  being  vigorously  pursued. 

One  of  the  most  valuable  results  of  the  Commission’s  work  was 
the  establishment  of  the  fact  that  the  wood  of  a blighted  tree  is  en- 
tirely fit  for  use,  and  if  utilized  soon  after  the  death  of  the  tree 
from  blight,  can  be  disposed  of  in  the  regular  way  and  at  normal 
values.  The  Commission  has  advocated  the  cutting  out  of  all  dis- 
eased trees,  since  on  account  of  the  prejudice  against  blighted  poles 


12 


and  timber,  and  the  possibility  of  the  market  becoming  glutted,  this 
is  the  best  plan.  Also  the  cutting  of  diseased  trees  was  urged  be- 
cause it  would  reduce  the  sources  of  infection.  Since  utilization 
was  all  that  remained  to  be  done  in  the  eastern  half  of  the  State,  the 
Commission  secured  a special  reduced  freight  rate  on  blighted  lum- 
ber, determined  what  demand  there  was  in  and  out  of  the  State  for 
chestnut  lumber  and  other  chestnut  products,  and  proceeded  to  bring 
owners  and  dealers  together.  This  work  had  just  reached  the  point 
of  its  highest  efficiency  when  the  Commission  ceased  work.  As  there 
is  no  longer  any  means  of  inspection  and  certification  of  diseased 
lumber,  the  reduced  freight  rate  is  no  longer  available. 

When  the  Commission  began  work  but  few  investigations  had 
been  made  of  the  chestnut  blight,  and  other  States,  as  well  as  the 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  were  working  on  the  disease  with- 
out special  funds.  The  Commission  by  its  example  and  by  its  direct 
efforts,  assisted  in  securing  Congressional  and  State  appropriations, 
and  practically  all  of  the  scientific  work  and  all  of  the  practical 
work  which  has  been  done  on  this  disease  since  1910  was  made  pos- 
sible by  tire  efforts  of  this  Commission.  A National  law  was  passed 
which  requires  strict  inspection  of  all  imported  nursery  stock  and 
the  prohibition  from  entry  of  certain  classes  of  stock,  and  which 
makes  the  repetition  of  such  an  event  as  the  importation  of  the 
chestnut  blight  impossible,  or  at  least  highly  improbable.  The 
work  of  this  Commission  was  one  of  the  greatest  factors  in  bringing 
about  the  passage  of  this  law. 

Not  only  has  the  work  of  the  Commission  aroused  public  attention 
throughout  the  Eastern  States  regarding  this  disease,  but  the  public  1 
is  awakened  as  never  before  by  the  example  of  the  destruction  of  one 
species  to  the  necessity  of  conservation  of  all  timber  resources.  In 
this  State  the  Commission  has  carried  on  a liberal  educational  cam- 
paign in  which  it  has  had  the  hearty  co-operation  of  the  State 
Forestry  Department,  the  Conservation  Association,  such  organiza-  > 
tions  as  the  Boy  Scouts,  various  lumber  and  trade  associations,  and 
many  other  organizations,  institutions,  and  individuals. 

In  conclusion,  it  seems  necessary  to  call  sharp  attention  to  the 
real  lesson  to  be  learned  from  the  chestnut  blight  epidemic — viz.: 
the  necessity  of  more  scientific  research  upon  problems  of  this  char- 
acter; to  be  undertaken  early  enough  to  be  of  some  value  in  compre- 
hending. if  not  controlling  the  situation.  We  have  seen  that  the  ■ 
blight  might  have  been  kept  out  of  the  country  in  the  first  place  by 
inspection,  or  once  in,  that  it  might  have  been  destroyed,  or  at  least 
checked  before  it  had  gotten  widely  distributed.  But  instead  it 
was  permitted  to  enter,  and  to  spread  for  many  years  without  scien-  I 
tific  notice,  and  for  several  more  years  without  any  organized  at-  1 


13 


tempt  to  control  it,  or  even  to  study  it  seriously.  Are  we  doing  any 
better  now  with  reference  to  the  future? 

China  has  been  shown  to  be  the  home  of  the  chestnut  blight.  China, 
then,  would  seem  to  be  the  obvious  place  to  study  it;  but  no  path- 
ologists are  there,  and  state  and  federal  parsimony  has  so  far 
failed  to  provide  for  any  investigations  of  the  disease  on  its  home 
ground  by  American  pathologists. 

It  has  been  proposed  to  replace  the  chestnut  in  southern  New  Eng- 
land by  plantings  of  white  pine,  in  itself  the  most  important  eastern 
timber  tree;  but  the  white  pine  is  in  turn  subject  to  a newly  im- 
ported disease,  the  blister  rust.  It  is  not  certain  that  very  serious 
and  united  efforts  are  being  made  to  investigate  and  control  this 

i disease  even  in  the  States  that  introduced  it.  As  in  the  case  of  the 

■ . 

chestnut  blight,  scepticism  has  even  been  expressed  as  to  its  serious- 
ness. Again,  it  would  seem  that  the  obvious  place  to  determine  the 
seriousness  of  the  blister  rust  was  in  Europe,  its  home;  yet  to  date 
neither  state  nor  National  government  has  dispatched  a scientist  on 
this  errand.  In  this  connection  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  call  attention 
to  the  fact  that  in  Pennsylvania  there  is,  aside  from  the  employees  of 
this  Commission,  only  one  professional  plant  pathologist!  Yet  the 
preventable  damage  which  this  one  plant  disease — chestnut  blight— 
has  done,  would  pay  for  the  work  of  more  plant  pathologists  than  are 
now  at  work  in  the  entire  world. 

The  Commission  closes  its  work  with  regret,  knowing  well  that  the 
blight  will  now  spread  over  the  State  without  hindrance.  There  is 
some  satisfaction  in  knowing,  however,  that  the  work  left  undone 
in  Pennsylvania  has  been  actively  taken  up  in  Virginia  and  West 
Virginia,  and  that  the  States  of  Ohio  and  North  Carolina  are  making 
studies  preparatory  to  combatting  the  disease  as  soon  as  it  appears 
in  those  States.  The  scientific  research  carried  on  by  the  Commis- 
| sion  will  be  continued  by  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture.  We 
may  be  certain  that  the  war  against  this  and  other  foreign  epidemics 
will  not  cease  until  science  is  so  far  advanced  in  both  theory  and 
practice  that  they  can  be  controlled. 

Very  truly  yours, 

WINTHROP  SARGENT, 
Chairman. 


(14) 


Report  of 

Hon.  I.  C.  Williams 

Deputy  Commissioner  of  Forestry,  Collaborator 


2 


(15) 


-I 


(10) 


A common  mark  of  the  blight.  Small  leaves  which  developed  in  the  early  spring 
on  a top  recently  girdled  by  the  blight,  showing  midsummer  condition.  Withered 
leaves  above  the  canker;  sprouts  below. 


A HISTORY  OF  THE  EARLY  PENNSYLVANIA 
EFFORT  TO  COMBAT  THE  CHESTNUT 
BARK  DISEASE. 


BY  HON.  I.  C.  WILLIAMS,  DEPUTY  COMMISSIONER  OF  FORESTRY, 
COLLABORATOR,  HARRISBURG,  PA. 


Preliminary  to  the  final  report  of  the  Chestnut  Blight  Commis- 
sion, it  is  thought  desirable  to  make  a statement  detailing  the  his- 
tory of  the  chestnut  bark  disease  in  Pennsylvania  so  far  as  known, 
and  of  the  efforts  to  combat  it,  leading  up  to  the  formation  of  the 
Commission  under  the  law  of  1911,  and  the  extended  work  of  repres- 
sion begun  at  that  time. 

The  attention  of  the  Pennsylvania  Department  of  Forestry  was 
first  attracted  to  the  appearance  of  the  chestnut  bark  disease  in  this 
State  by  a letter  from  Mr.  Harold  Peirce,  of  Haverford,  dated  July 
18,  1908,  reporting  its  presence  in  Lower  Merion  Township,  Mont- 
gomery County,  and  by  an  article  appearing  in  the  November,  1908, 
number. of  “Conservation,”  from  the  pen  of  Dr.  John  Mickleborough, 
of  Brooklyn.  Subsequent  correspondence  with  Dr.  Mickleborough 
revealed  the  fact  that  he  had  been  a student  of  the  disease  for  over 
a year  and*  had  become  familiar  with  it  in  all  of  its  ordinary  aspects. 
To  these  two  gentlemen,  therefore,  the  State  is  primarily  indebted 
for  the  subsequent  efforts  made  to  study  more  particularly,  and  to 
attempt  to  control  this  vicious  tree  disease. 

The  facts  relating  to  the  discovery  of  the  disease  in  America  and 
its  identification  are  pretty  well  known.  It  was  first  detected  by  Dr. 
Hermann  W.  Merkel,  in  the  Bronx  Zoological  Park,  New  York  City, 
in  1904,  although  it  is  almost  certain  that  it  existed  in  that  neigh- 
borhood for  probably  more  than  a year  prior  to  Dr.  Merkel’s  discov- 
ery. Referred  for  identification  to  Dr.  W.  A.  Murrill  of  the  New 
Yoi’k  Botanical  Garden,  he  published  a description  of  it  in  1906*, 
and  by  him  the  fungus  was  named  Diaporthe  parasitica,  so  called 
because  it  was  believed  to  be  the  only  parasitic  species  of  the  genus. 
The  naming  of  the  fungus  has  since  been  corrected  by  means  of  the 
researches  of  Anderson,  Clinton.  Farlow,  Shear  and  Stevens,  and  it 
is  now  known  systematically  as  Endothia  parasitica. 

Some  controversy  has  been  had  over  the  origin  of  the  disease  and 
the  case  is  probably  not  yet  settled.  Dr.  Clinton’s  contention  is  and 
has  been,  that  it  is  a native  fungus,  which,  by  means  of  weather  eon- 


*See  “Torreya,”  Vol.  6,  No.  9. 


(17) 


18 


ditions  and  possibly  other  factors,  lias  taken  on  new  attributes.  Dr. 
Metcalf,  his  co-worker  Prof.  Collins,  Dr.  Shear,  and  others  believed 
and  still  maintain  that  it  is  of  foreign  origin,  introduced  into 
America  by  the  importation  of  horticultural  stock.  Its  first  known 
appearance  in  the  region  of  New  York  City  and  its  spread  in  con- 
centric zones  from  that  point  as  a centre  of  infection,  lent  much 
plausibility  to  this  theory.  The  recent  discovery  made  by  Mr.  Frank 
N.  Meyer,  of  the  same  fungus  in  northeastern  China,  where  it  is 
parasitic  on  mistaneo } and  where,  it  appears,  the  host  trees  have 
become  rather  highly  resistant  to  its  attack,  leads  further  probabil- 
ity of  correctness  to  Metcalf’s  theory. 

Possibly  a great  hope  for  America  lies  in  this  Chinese  discovery. 
Pathologists  and  foresters  are  anxiously  looking  forward  to  the 
results  of  experiments  now  being  made  and  which  will  be  attempted, 
we  hope,  on  a much  larger  scale  in  the  future.  The  regrettable,  ever- 
present fact  is  that  this  disease  is  with  us  here  and  now,  and  must 
be  reckoned  with  from  every  angle  of  attack.  There  seems  to  be  no 
present  diminution  sufficient  to  warrant  the  belief  that  it  is  likely 
to  wear  itself  out,  or  that  our  trees  will  become  sufficiently  resistant 
to  ward  off  the  attack  prior  to  the  destruction  of  the  trees  them- 
selves. 

Subsequent  correspondence  between  Dr.  Mickleborough  and  the 
Department  of  Forestry  culminated  in  a letter  from  him  under  date 
of  March  9,  1909,  in  which  lie  outlined  a definite  plan  for  the  exami- 
nation of  a supposedly  infected  territory  in  southeastern  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  offered  his  services  to  the  Commonwealth  for  carrying 
out  plans  of  investigation.  The  proposed  inspection  was  approved 
by  the  Department  on  March  17.  1909,  and  the  services  of  Dr.  Mickle- 
borough thus  enlisted.  The  first  inspection  visit  was  made  by  him 
in  company  with  the  writer,  March  29,  1909,  at  Mt.  Holly,  in  Cum- 
berland county,  but  where  no  evidence  of  the  disease  was  found  at 
that  time. 

Prior  to  the  beginning  of  this  work  in  1909,  Dr.  Mickleborough 
had  been  invited  by  Dr.  Jane  Baker,  physician  in  charge  of  the 
Chester  County  Insane  Hospital,  to  speak  before  an  educational  con- 
ference at  Embreeville,  Chester  county.  At  this  time  the  disease 
was  not  generally  prevalent  in  that  region,  but  a number  of  infected 
chestnut  trees  were  found. 

The  work  of  inspection  over  the  southeastern  portion  of  the  State 
thus  undertaken  under  the  direction  of  the  Department  of  Forestry, 
as  stated  above,  was  conducted  by  Dr.  Mickleborough.  and  carried 
through  or  into  almost  every  county  east  of  the  Susquehanna.  Dur- 
ing the  progress  of  this  examination  the  chestnut  blight  was  not 
found  north  and  west  of  the  South  Mountain,  although  prior  to  this 
time  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  had  reported  the 


19 


existence  of  two  spot  infections  in  the  western  portion  of  the  State, 
near  Altoona,  and  a re-examination  of  the  material  relating  thereto 
by  Dr.  Metcalf  and  his  assistants,  seemed  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to 
the  correctness  of  this  report.  Certain  it  is  that  in  May,  1909,  there 
was  no  large  or  extended  infection  west  of  the  Susquehanna.  Had 
there  been  in  existence  at  that  time  the  means  to  carry  on  work  of 
control  along  both  sides  of  the  Susquehanna  River,  who  can  tell 
what  the  result  might  have  been,  looked  at  in  the  light  of  our  present 
knowledge  ? 

The  report  of  Dr.  Mickleborough’s  inspection  and  study  was  pub- 
lished by  the  Department  in  the  autumn  of  1909.  This  is  a 16-page 
pamphlet  illustrated  by  drawings  showing  a portion  of  the  structural 
formation  of  the  fungus,  and  by  a Lumiere  color  photograph  of  a 
stem  section  of  chestnut  covered  externally  by  the  fruiting  fungus. 
This  specimen  of  infected  chestnut  wood  was  sent  in  from  Pike 
county,  in  the  upper  Delaware  valley,  and  was  incubated  and  de- 
veloped in  a moist  cell  in  the  Department  of  Forestry  during  the 
summer  of  1909. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  study  of  this  bark  disease,  it  was  believed 
that  the  Japanese  species  of  Castanea  was  either  immune  or  highly 
resistant  to  attack.  Several  specimens  of  Japanese  chestnut  were 
under  observation  on  Long  Island,  and  fairly  gave  rise  to  this  belief. 
One  grove  examined  near  Westbury,  in  June,  1909,  showed  the 
Paragons  and  common  chestnuts  badly  attacked.  The  Japanese 
showed  no  attack  at  all. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  the  Hicks  nursery  at  Westbury,  forty- 
live  young  chestnut  trees  supposed  to  be  Japanese,  and  one  hundred 
grafting  scions  were  sent  to  the  chestnut  orchard  of  Mr.  Levi  Wise, 
at  Gap,  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  distributed  among  four 
persons  of  the  neighborhood  for  planting  and  testing  out  for  im- 
munity. The  bark  disease  was  at  that  time  particularly  prevalent  in 
the  chestnut  woods  at  this  place.  Some  of  the  newly  planted  trees 
died  from  other  causes,  but  enough  of  them  were  attacked  and  killed 
by  the  blight  to  show  that  these  particular  trees,  at  least,  were  not 
immune. 

On  the  29th  day  of  March,  1910,  Dr.  Mickleborough  delivered  a 
lecture  on  the  subject  of  this  tree  disease  before  the  Main  Line 
Citizens’  Association  at  the  Merion  Cricket  Club,  Haverford,  Pa. 
This  meeting  was  arranged  largely  through  the  efforts’ of  Mr.  Peirce, 
who  at  that  time  was  the  owner  of  several  acres  of  chestnut  wood- 
land, and  of  which  tract  Dr.  Mickleborough  made  a rather  extended 
examination,  finding  the  chestnut  blight  present  in  a number  of  trees. 
This  discovery  and  the  lecture  delivered  on  the  subject  brought  the 
matter  prominently  to  the  attention  of  the  citizens  of  that  neigh- 


20 


borhood,  and  later  led  to  some  very  important  developments  with 
respect  to  studying  and  combating  the  disease. 

Following  this  address  by  Dr.  Mickleborough,  Mr.  Peirce  was  in 
correspondence  with  the  Department  of  Forestry,  calling  attention 
to  the  inroads  being  made  upon  the  chestnut  trees  by  this  disease  in 
the  neighborhood  of  his  residence,  requesting  the  Department  to 
render  such  help  as  it  might  be  able  in  assisting  the  people  to  under- 
stand the  situation  better,  and,  if  possible,  to  eliminate  or  at  least 
attempt  to  control  the  trouble.  This  correspondence  culminated  in 
the  calling  of  a meeting  on  May  23,  1910,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Robert 
W.  Lesley,  at  Haverford,  which  was  attended  by  a number  of  the 
residents  and  land  owners  of  the  neighborhood,  by  Dr.  -John  W. 
Harshberger,  the  botanist,  representing  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  by  the  Deputy  Commissioner,  representing  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Department  of  Forestry. 

The  preliminary  arrangements  for  beginning  an  extensive  survey 
of  this  region  were  discussed  at  this  meeting.  The  Department  rep- 
resentative made  his  report  to  the  Forestry  Commission  at  its  meet- 
ing held  on  June  3,  1910.  On  motion  of  Dr.  Kothrock,  the  Commis- 
sion directed  that  the  Department  render  the  desired  help,  and  on 
the  same  day  a letter  to  this  effect  was  sent  to  Mr.  Peirce,  the  sec- 
retary of  the  citizens’  meeting.  On  September  1,  1910,  a corps  of 
inspectors  from  the  Department  in  charge  of  the  Deputy  Commis- 
sioner, arrived  at  Haverford  and  Ardmore,  prepared  to  begin  their 
work.  Offices  were  speedily  fitted  up  in  the  building  of  the  Merion 
Title  and  Trust  Company  at  Ardmore,  and  the 'first  inspection  of 
trees  was  made  on  the  property  of  Mr.  Lesley  on  Saturday,  Septem- 
ber 3rd.  From  this  date  forward  until  December  19,  1910,  the  work 
was  vigorously  carried  on,  and  a close  inspection  made  of  296  prop- 
erties, covering  most  of  the  region  extending  from  Overbrook  to 
Paoli,  and  from  the  Schuylkill  River  on  the  north,  to  a considerable 
distance  south  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  A draft  of  each  prop- 
erty was  prepared  showing  the  location  of  all  chestnut  trees  and  in- 
dicating those  which  at  that  time  were  apparently  free  of  disease,  as 
well  as  those  showing  the  infection.  Each  property  owner  was  then 
furnished  with  a copy  of  the  report  and  draft  relating  to  his  own 
land. 

To  show  the  interest  taken  in  this  work  by  members  of  the  Main 
Line  Citizens’  Association,  it  is  necessary  only  to  state  that  the 
work  was  carried  on  almost  entirely  at  the  expense  of  the  associa- 
tion. The  individual  contributions  for  the  purpose  amounted  to 
$2,707.70. 

During  the  progress  of  this  inspection,  a second  public  meeting 
was  held  in  the  auditorium  of  the  Merion  Cricket  Club,  at  which 


21 


time  a preliminary  report  was  submitted  and  discussion  had  with 
respect  to  the  situation  as  it  then  existed.  This  meeting  was  at- 
tended by  a large  number  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  members  of  the 
association,  and  much  interest  was  shown  in  the  progress  reported. 
The  final  report  of  the  committee  of  the  association  having  the  work 
in  charge  was  printed  and  rendered  to  the  members  under  date  of 
May  8,  1912.  This  committee  was  as  follows:  Messrs.  Harold 

Peirce,  Chairman;  Theodore  N.  Ely,  Allan  Evans,  Edgar  C.  Felton, 
William  Lighter  Fisher,  Alba  B.  Johnson,  and  Robert  W.  Lesley. 

In  a letter  bearing  date  tlie  12th  day  of  March,  1909,  addressed  to 
the  Commissioner  of  Forestry  at  Harrisburg,  Dr.  Mickleborough 
used  this  language.  “As  to  remedy,  the  best  that  can  be  suggested 
by  anyone  at  present  is  Control  and  not  Extermination , for  various 
reasons.  This  I think  is  also  true  of  the  San  Jose  scale.”  It  will 
thus  be  seen  that  the  original  idea  involved  in  the  attack  on  the 
chestnut  blight  in  Pennsylvania  was  control,  just  as  the  Department 
of  Agriculture  of  this  State  has  always  aimed  at  control  of  the  San 
Jose  scale,  suggested  in  the  letter  just  quoted.  After  the  pre- 
liminary studies  were  completed,  no  one  believed  that  extermina- 
tion or  eradication  could  be  accomplished  with  the  means  at  hand; 
but  it  was  thought  then,  and  is  still  the  belief  of  those  who  are  most 
closely  associated  with  the  work,  that  a control  is  possible,  and  that 
it  was  much  more  possible  then  than  now,  after  the  lapse  of  a period 
of  five  years. 

During  the  progress  of  the  inspection  along  the  Main  Line,  it  be- 
came apparent  that  more  than  a local  effort  was  demanded  if  any  sub- 
stantial progress  were  to  be  made  towards  preventing  the  spread  of 
the  disease.  Steps  were  taken  to  enlist  the  active  interest  of  the  Gov- 
ernor and  the  Legislature,  (then  in  session).  On  the  evening  of 
April  10,  1911,  Governor  Tener  sent  a special  message  to  both 
houses  of  the  Legislature,  calling  direct  attention  to  the  situation, 
and  asking  the  help  of  the  General  Assembly  to  combat  the  disease. 
The  Governor’s  message  was  as  follows: 

“Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 

“Executive  Chamber, 
“Harrisburg,  April  10,  1911. 

“Gentlemen  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
Commonwealtli  of  Pennsylvania: 

“I  have  the  honor  to  call  your  attention  to  a new  and  virulent 
disease  of  the  wild  chestnut  tree,  commonly  known  as  chestnut 
blight,  recently  discovered  near  New  York  City,  and  hitherto  un- 
known in  America.  The  disease  has  continued  to  spread,  destroying 
the  chestnut  trees  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  York  City  and  well 
up  the  Hudson.  It  has  invaded  Long  Island,  beginning  at  the  west- 
ern end,  sweeping  eastward,  practically  covering  the  island.  It  has 


22 


progressed  to  tlie  southwest,  through  the  whole  of  the  State  of  New 
Jersey,  and  all  the  chestnut  trees  there  appear  to  be  doomed  to  de- 
struction. It  lias  entered  Pennsylvania  and  is  prevalent  in  the 
Delaware  Valley.  It  has  been  discovered  in  the  following  counties: 
Pike,  Monroe,  Northampton,  Bucks,  Montgomery,  Chester,  Phila- 
delphia, Delaware,  Lancaster,  and  southern  Berks.  In  isolated  places 
it  lias  crossed  the  Susquehanna,  and  is  now  detected  in  eastern  York, 
eastern  Perry  and  one  portion  of  southwestern  Perry.  Other  points 
of  infection  have  been  found  near  Altoona  and  Greensburg. 

“Experiments  made  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture  at  Wash- 
ington demonstrate  that  it  is  possible  to  prevent  the  spread  of  the 
disease  by  removing  spot  appearances  as  they  are  detected,  and  de 
stroying  the  trees  in  which  the  disease  occurs.  By  this  means  the 
region  around  Washington  has  been  freed  from  the  blight  for  at 
least  two  years,  and  it  has  not  re-invaded  this  area.  In  the  south- 
eastern portion  of  Pennsylvania,  where  the  infection  is  severe  and 
almost  complete,  little  hope  exists  for  saving  the  trees,  but  in  that 
portion  of  the  State  west  of  the  Susquehanna  and  north  of  the  Blue 
Mountains,  it  is  hoped,  by  prompt  action  on  the  part  of  the  State,  to 
prevent  further  damage.  Tf  this  disease  can  be  held  within  the 
southeastern  portion  of  the  State,  it  will  mean  the  saving  of  the 
wild  chestnut  trees  in  the  other  parts  of  the  Commonwealth,  the 
value  of  which  extends  into  the  millions  of  dollars. 

“I  therefore  recommend  that  the  Legislature  give  immediate  at- 
tention to  this  important  subject  and  that  a Commission  be  created 
with  sufficient  power  and  appropriation  of  moneys  to  determine 
upon  and  employ  efficient  and  practical  means  for  the  prevention, 
control,  and  eradication  of  this  disease,  and  that  said  Commission 
be  authorized,  in  conjunction  with  the  Department  of  Forestry,  or 
otherwise,  to  conduct  scientific  investigations  into  the  nature  and 
causes  of  such  disease  and  to  adopt  such  means  to  prevent  its  intro- 
duction and  spread  as  may  be  found  necessary. 

“JOHN  K.  TENER.” 

The  next  day,  April  11,  1911,  a bill  having  this  purpose  in  view, 
and  which  had  been  previously  carefully  drawn  and  vigorously 
criticised,  was  simultaneously  introduced  in  both  House  and  Sen- 
ate. This  bill  became  a law  by  the  signature  of  the  Governor.  June 
14,  1911*.  The  lawr  creates  a Commission  of  five  members  and  vests  ! 
them  with  almost  plenary  power  to  carry  out  its  mandates.  An 
appropriation  of  #275,000  became  available  at  once.  The  appoint- 
ment of  the  members  of  the  Commission  followed  after  an  interval 
of  about  two  weeks.  Organization  was  effected,  officers  and  assist- 
ants chosen,  and  on  August  23,  1911,  the  Commission  was  prepared 
to  proceed  with  its  work. 

While  the  major  effort  of  the  Commission  from  the  beginning  , 
was  to  get  a control,  the  subject  of  eradication  was  vigorously  de-  ! 
bated,  and,  as  will  be  seen  in  subsequent  pages,  determined  efforts  ) 
at  eradication  were  undertaken  under  the  advice  and  direction  of 


:See  Pamphlet  Laws,  1911,  page  922. 


28 


the  Commission.  The  feeling  was  that  if  there  be  any  merit  in 
such  effort,  opportunity  ought  not  to  be  lacking  to  prove  it.  The 
early  announced  and  decisive  plan  involving  the  cutting-out  method, 
proposed  and  outlined  by  Dr.  Murrill,  contributed  very  consider- 


The  Murrill  plan  (§)  was  as  follows: 

“Owners  of  standing  chestnut  timber  within  the  affected  area  are 
advised  to  cut  and  use  all  trees,  both  old  and  young,  that  stand 
within  half  a mile  of  diseased  trees,  unless  protected  from  infection 
through  wind-blown  spores  by  dense  forest  growth  or  some  other 
natural  barrier.  This  may  not  prevent  the  spread  of  the  disease 
through  the  agency  of  storms,  birds  and  squirrels*  but  it  will  at 
least  retard  its  progress.  Old  weathered  chestnut  trunks  that  have 
been  dead  several  years  have  no  power  to  spread  the  disease,  and 
these  may  be  cut  at  leisure  for  the  tannic  acid  factory  or  for  fire- 
wood. Trees  of  good  size  recently  killed  should  be  turned  into  lum- 
ber as  soon  as  possible;  the  fungus  affects  only  the  bark,  but  other 

! fungi  may  afterwards  impair  the  value  of  the  wood  if  allowed  to 
stand  too  long.  Discarded  branches  and  young  trees  of  no  value  that 
are  cut  near  the  edge  of  the  infected  area  should  be  burned  at  once 
in  order  to  destroy  the  spores  they  contain;  but  if  they  are  well 
within  the  zone  of  infection,  such  precaution  is  useless.” 

Every  element  in  the  Murrill  plan  has  been  employed  both  by  the 
Commission  and  by  the  State  Department  of  Forestry.  The  fact 
that  subsequently  Dr.  Murrill  partially  shifted  his  ground*,  did  not 
seem  sufficient  reason  to  warrant  the  abandonment  of  a plan  of  at- 
tack which  in  many  cases  was  productive  of  satisfactory  results. 

The  history  of  what  work  the  Commission  did,  and  of  the  results 
accomplished  form  the  substance  of  several  preliminary  reports  sub- 
mitted to  the  Governor  from  time  to  time.  The  final  report  is  what 
follows. 



§W.  A.  Murrill:  Journal  of  the  New  York  Botanical  Garden,  Yol.  9,  No.  98,  p.  30.  February, 
1908. 

♦Harrisburg  Conference  Report,  1912,  pp.  194  , 201,  202. 


(24) 


Report  of 

Mark  A.  Carleton 

General  Manager  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree 
Blight  Commission 


(25) 


i J6  ) 


Summer  condition  of  a blighted  tree.  The  withered  leaves  of  the  top  above 
canker,  and  the  vigorous  sprouts  below  the  canker  are  characteristic  signs. 


THE  FIGHT  TO  SAVE  THE  CHESTNUT  TREES; 
FINAL  REPORT  OF  THE  GENERAL  MANAGER. 


By  MARK  A.  CARLETON,  GENERAL  MANAGER, 
PENNSYLVANIA  CHESTNUT  TREE  BLIGHT  COMMISSION. 


In  closing  the  active  work  of  this  Commission,  it  is  a great  sat- 
isfaction to  be  able  to  report  constant  progress  to  date,  and  the  at- 
tainment of  good,  practical  results.  The  work  began  two  years  ago 
in  the  midst  of  much  skepticism  as  to  its  possibilities,  but  the  op- 
timism of  the  Commission  and  the  wisdom  of  its  methods  of  opera- 
tion have  in  the  main,  been  amply  confirmed  by  the  results  since 
obtained. 

PROGRESS  OF  FIELD  WORK. 

A more  or  less  definite  division  has  been  maintained  between  the 
slightly  infected  Western  portion  of  the  State  and  the  badly  infected 
Eastern  portion,  known  respectively  as  the  Western  and  Eastern 
districts.  In  a previous  report  it  was  stated  that  in  the  Western  part 
of  the  State  the  blight  had  been  eradicated  to  the  extent  covering 
nearly  one-half  of  the  area  of  the  State.  This  area  so  far  as  is 
known  to  date  has  been  maintained  free  from  the  disease.  In  a few 
cases  new  infections  were  found  which  have  been  removed.  It  is 
important  to  note  in  this  connection  not  only  the  fact  that  the 
progress  of  the  disease  has  been  checked  in  Western  Pennsylvania, 
but  that  we  have  without  much  doubt  prevented  the  blight  from 
gaining  a foothold  in  Ohio,  and  nearby  portions  of  New  York  and 
West  Virginia. 

In  the  Eastern  District  since  January  first  of  this  year,  the  field 
work  has  developed  almost  entirely  into  a campaign  of  utilization, 
no  rigid  sanitation  work  having  been  conducted  except  for  the  pro- 
tection of  chestnut  orchards  and  nurseries. 


EFFECTIVENESS  OF  THE  CUTTING-OUT  METHOD. 

In  the  two  years  work  no  facts  have  yet  been  obtained  which 
would  indicate  the  advisability  of  any  change  in  our  present  method 
of  “cutting  out’’  diseased  trees  and  thorough  cleaning  of  the  stumps 
for  the  eradication  of  the  disease.  A number  of  tracts  where  the 
disease  has  been  eradicated  by  Commission  employees  have  again 
been  inspected  recently,  giving  results,  which  are  in  the  main,  favor- 
able. Of  course,  improvements  have  been  made  as  to  details  all 


(27) 


28 


along.  It  is  not  a pleasant  prospect  to  consider  the  serious  results 
likely  to  follow  after  this  method  of  eradicating  the  disease,  con- 
ducted by  the  Commission,  is  obliged  to  cease. 


BENEFICIAL  INSECTS. 

It  will  be  of  interest  to  quote  here  the  words  of  the  Forest  En- 
tomologist, of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  in  his  comment 
on  a widely  disseminated  press  notice  of  that  Department,  Novem- 
ber 22nd,  1912,  apparently  based  on  the  work  of  F.  C.  Craighead. 

“The  beneficial  work  of  these  insects  can,  however,  be  greatly 
encouraged  if  the  owners  of  the  timber  will  dispose  of  the  diseased 
trees  in  the  principal  centers  of  infection,  as  recommended  by  the 
Chestnut  Blight  Commission  of  Pennsylvania,  and  other  State  and 
Federal  officials.  Thus,  if  the  large  majority  of  the  infection  is 
disposed  of,  the  beneficial  insects  will  concentrate  on  the  remaining 
scattering  and  isolated  infections,  and  thus  more  completely  destroy 
the  fruiting  bodies  and  contribute  to  the  protection  of  the  remain- 
ing living  trees.  In  fact,  it  is  a question  of  the  owner  securing  the 
greatest  benefit  from  the  natural  agencies  of  control  by  doing  his 
share  of  the  work.” 


NURSERY  INSPECTION. 

The  inspection  of  nursery  stock  has  been  made  even  more  rigid 
than  before.  Not  only  has  it  been  required  that  every  individual 
tree  should  be  inspected  by  a competent  employee  of  this  Commis- 
sion, but  in  shipping  it  has  been  required  also  that  every  individual 
tree  should  be  tagged.  A copy  of  the  revised  regulations  governing 
the  inspection  and  shipment  of  nursery  stock  is  appended  to  this 
report,  which  shows  the  form  of  tags  required  to  be  attached  both  to 
individual  trees  and  to  bundles  of  trees.  The  fact  that  several  of 
the  most  serious  infections  in  the  State  have  been  caused  heretofore 
by  the  planting  of  diseased  nursery  stock  in  new  localities  is  suf- 
ficient reason  for  so  rigid  an  inspection. 


DISCOVERY  OF.  THE  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT  IN  CHINA. 

It  has  recently  been  proved  by  authentic  specimens  and  artificial 
cultures  of  the  material  transmitted  by  the  Explorer  of  the  U.  S. 
Department  of  Agriculture,  that  the  chestnut  blight  exists  in  East- 
ern China."  This  fact  makes  it  all  the  more  probable  that  the  be- 
ginning of  the  disease  in  this  country  may  have  come  about  by  the 


‘Science,  Vol.  36,  No.  937,  p.  825,  Dec.  13,  1912. 


Winter  condition  of  a chestnut  tree  with  a blight-girdled  top. 


29 


introduction  of  such  diseased  stock  from  China  or  Japan.  That 
new  centers  of  infection  are  often  started  by  the  introduction  of 
diseased  nursery  stock,  is  a common  observation. 

PROTECTION  OF  ORCHARDS  AND  NURSERIES. 

It  has  been  the  policy  of  the  Commission  for  sometime  to  protect 
orchards  and  nurseries  from  outside  infection  in  all  cases  where  the 
owners  have  expressed  a desire  for  such  protection,  and  have  them- 
selves taken  care  to  control  the  disease  as  much  as  possible.  This 
work  has  been  successful  much  beyond  our  expectations.  The  largest 
and  most  important  orchards  thus  protected  are  located  at 
Sunbury,  Paxinos,  and  Berwick.  The  owners  of  neighboring  forest 
tracts  have  been  required  to  remove  all  diseased  chestnut  trees 
within  one-half  mile  of  the  nearest  point  of  the  orchard  in  each  case. 
An  interesting  result  in  one  of  the  most  important  of  these  cases  is 
the  fact  that  these  owners  have  been  able  to  sell  the  products  of 
their  diseased  trees  for  an  amount  considerably  above  the  entire 
cost  of  removal,  sanitation  work,  etc. 

PREVENTION  OR  REMEDY. 

At  this  writing  no  specific  remedy  has  been  found  for  the  disease. 
However,  later  information  confirms  the  statements  previously  pub- 
lished that  the  disease  may  be  largely  prevented  from  entering 
healthy  trees  by  contant  and  regular  spraying  with  Bordeaux  Mix- 
ture made  up  in  proportions  of  5 pounds  of  lime,  5 pounds  of  copper 
sulphate,  and  50  gallons  of  water.  The  application  of  this  mixture 
simply  prevents  any  new  germination  of  spores,  but  has  no  effect 
whatever,  in  cases  where  the  disease  has  already  started  in  the 
tree.  Because  of  the  cost,  it  is,  of  course,  not  applicable  in  forests. 

CONTROL  OP  THE  DISEASE  IN  ORCHARDS. 

By  cutting  out  the  cankers  and  coating  with  antiseptic  solutions 
and  water  proofing  afterwards,  the  blight  can  be  fairly  well  con- 
trolled in  chestnut  orchards  and  in  certain  valuable  lawn  or  park 
trees.  In  connection  with  this  treatment  a spray  of  the  Bordeaux 
Mixture  as  above  noted  should  be  used  occasionally.  Excellent  re- 
sults along  this  line  of  experiment  are  shown  in  a large  orchard  at 
Paxinos,  and  in  several  of  the  public  parks  of  the  State. 


30 


FAKE  TREATMENTS,  THEORIES  OR  CAUSES,  ETC. 

As  often  happens  in  the  ease  of  a public  campaign  against  a 
serious  epidemic,  we  have  been  constantly  besieged  by  the  gratui- 
tous offers  of  various  and  sundry  remedies  for  the  blight,  which  in- 
clude applications  of  fertilizers  to  the  soil,  insertions  of  flowers  of 
sulphur  and  other  compounds  in  holes  bored  in  the  trees,  applica- 
tions of  coatings  of  different  chemicals  to  the  body  of  the  tree,  and 
numerous  other  treatments,  all  of  which  we  believed  in  the  beginning 
to  have  no  value.  However,  all  parties  having  theories  to  advance 
or  remedies  to  propose  have  been  given  a chance  to  prove  their  claims 
by  experimenting  on  trees  controlled  by  the  Commission  for  such  i 
purposes  at  Emilie,  Bucks  county.  A number  of  parties  have  taken 
advantage  of  the  opportunity.  Recently,  an  examination  was  made  of 
the  various  treatments  by  a competent  Board  of  Reviewers,  whose  con- 
clusion was  that  not  one  of  the  treatments  tried  had  any  deterrent 
effect  upon  the  chestnut  blight. 

Many  of  the  persons  above  mentioned  were  apparently  sincere  in 
the  claims  they  made,  and  were  simply  ignorant  of  the  true  cause 
of  the  disease.  Instances  have  come  to  our  attention,  however,  of 
parties  practicing  certain  methods  of  treatment  and  charging  for  the 
same,  who  are  plainly  impostors.  Employees  of  the  Commission! 
have  no  doubt  benefited  many  people  by  exposing  the  methods  of 
these  impostors. 

EXAMINATIONS  OF  INDIVIDUAL  TREES. 

Excellent  opportunities  have  been  afforded  the  tree  surgeon  of 
the  Commission  and  his  assistants  to  counteract  the  influence  of 
false  theories  and  worthless  remedies  such  as  above  mentioned,  in 
responding  to  the  numerous  requests  for  the  examination  of  indi- 
vidual trees.  These  requests  have  continued  to  come  to  the  Commis- 
sion headquarters  right  up  to  the  time  of  closing  our  work.  No 
other  line  of  work  has  been  so  effective  in  arousing  the  personal  in- 
terests of  the  people.  No  request  from  any  part  of  the  State  has 
been  ignored.  In  this  connection  much  incidental  advice  has  been' 
given  to  property  owners  as  to  the  general  handling  of  lawns  and 
orchards,  and  the  management  of  small  woodlots. 


PUBLIC  PARKS  AND  FARMS. 

In  co-operation  with  the  officials  of  Wildwood  Park,  at  Harris- 
burg, the  Commission  has  completely  eradicated  the  blight  from  that 
Park,  about  150  diseased  chestnut  trees  having  been  removed  01 


31 


treated  out  of  a total  of  1,290  trees.  Here  in  a few  cases  the  peeled 
stumps  were  ereosoted  to  show’  that  method  of  sanitation.  Consid- 
erable help  has  also  been  given  to  the  management  of  Fairmount 
Park.  Arrangements  have  also  been  made  for  the  entire  removal 
of  blighted  chestnut  trees  from  the  State  Live  Stock  Board’s  Farm, 
in  Delaware  County.  In  the  event  of  the  continuation  of  our  wrnrk, 
it  wras  also  planned  to  eradicate  the  blight  thoroughly  from  the  Valley 
Forge  Park  grounds. 

BLIGHT-EATING  BEETLES. 

It  has  been  announced  by  the  Bureau  of  Entomology,  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  that  several  species  of  beetles  have  been  found 
eating  the  spores  of  the  blight  fungus,  and  it  is  stated  that  “should 
these  insects  prove  as  beneficial  as  the  observations  indicate,  they 
are  certain  to  be  an  important  factor  in  the  natural  control  of  the 
dreaded  chestnut  blight  disease.”  It  is  worthy  of  note  in  this  con- 
nection that  the  insect  investigations  of  this  Commission  have  shown 
; that  a number  of  insects  also  carry  large  quantities  of  blight  spores, 
i and  may  thus  indirectly  assist  in  the  dissemination  of  the  blight. 

One  of  these  insects  w7hich  was  found  to  carry  an  enormous  number  of 
I spores  is  one  of  the  beetles  above  mentioned  as  eating  the  fungus. 

CORDWOOD  AND  THE  SPECIAL  TARIFF. 

Since  writing  the  last  report,  there  has  been  a considerable  ship- 
ment of  chestnut  cordwood,  shippers  taking  advantage  of  the  special 
tariff  issued  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  At  last  accounts  the 
; prospects  were  that  there  wrould  be  much  business  in  this  line  right 
along  in  the  future,  being  encouraged  by  the  special  low7  rates. 

PROMPTNESS  IN  UTILIZING  CHESTNUT. 

Observations  made  by  Commission  employees  in  company  with  com- 
mercial lumbermen  have  showm  that  already  in  certain  localities,  dis- 
eased chestnut  has  been  dead  so  long  that  deterioration  is  beginning. 
We  have,  therefore,  made  it  plain  to  owners  of  such  chestnut  and  have 
| advertised  the  fact  as  much  as  possible,  that  promptness  is  necessary 
in  getting  rid  of  the  diseased  trees,  if  the  owners  wash  to  obtain  the 
most  value  possible  from  the  trees. 

INTENSIVE  LOCAL  UTILIZATION. 

Our  most  difficult  line  of  wTork  has  been  that  of  utilization.  Facts 
as  to  the  conditions  could  easily  be  obtained,  but  the  difficulty  has 
been  in  bringing  the  buyer  and  seller  together.  Recently  a plan  was 
3 


32 


adopted,  which  if  we  would  be  able  to  continue  its  operation,  would 
without  question,  hasten  very  rapidly  the  utilization  work.  This 
plan,  the  details  of  which  are  given  elsewhere,  is  to  canvass  particular 
localities  thoroughly,  finding  out  just  what  can  be  offered  in  the  way 
of  different  chestnut  products,  ascertaining  the  local  market  for 
the  same,  and  then  determining  so  far  as  possible,  where  else  the 
surplus  may  be  marketed.  In  connection  with  the  carrying  out  of 
this  plan,  up  to  this  writing  as  many  as  a dozen  portable  saw  mills 
have  been  located  in  one  county,  and  in  other  localities  many  prac- 
tical operations  had  already  been  started,  thus  tending  to  rapid 
and  clean  cut  work  in  utilizing  blighted  chestnut. 

RESISTANCE  AND  IMMUNITY. 

The  discovery  of  the  chestnut  blight  in  China  makes  it  now  all 
the  more  probable  that  resistant  chestnut  stocks  may  be  obtained 
in  that  country.  It  was,  therefore,  a wise  movement  last  fall  when 
we  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  obtain  a considerable 
amount  of  seed  of  what  is  probably  the  most  important  chestnut 
in  Eastern  China.  A large  quantity  of  the  nuts  were  planted  at 
Paxinos,  and  the  seedlings  at  this  date  which  are  from  six  to 
fifteen  inches  high,  are  looking  well.  From  the  nuts  sent  also  to 
the  State  Forest  Nursery  at  Greenwood,  75  seedlings  are 
at  present  growing,  and  from  those  sent  to  Asaph,  Pa.,  there  are 
now  182  plants,  averaging  ten  inches  in  height.  All  of  these  seed- 
lings will  be  of  much  value  in  cross-breeding  and  other  ways  in  the 
important  future  work  of  developing  blight  resistant  orchard  trees. 
In  this  connection  it  should  be  noted  that  in  a recent  bulletin  is- 
sued from  the  Arnold  Arboretum  a considerable  discussion  is  given 
of  the  possibilities  in  developing  blight  resistant  chestnut  trees 
from  Chinese  introductions,  a number  of  the  latter  now  being  grown 
at  the  Arboretum.  The  two  mentioned  as  the  most  important  in- 
clude the  one  of  which  we  now  have  seedlings.  So  far  these  Chinese 
chestnuts  grown  at  the  Arboretum  have  not  become  blighted. 

According  to  the  Kew  Index,  there  are  seven  species  of  chestnut 
and  twenty-one  of  the  chinquapin  in  the  world.  From  all  these 
species  there  should  be  many  other  chances  of  obtaining  blight 
resistant  trees  that  may  be  used  in  breeding  and  making  our  own 
stock  better. 


CHESTNUT  BLIGHT  EXHIBITS. 

Several  exhibits  of  specimens  showing  the  work  of  this  Commis- 
sion have  been  placed  in  public  institutions  which  will  remain  as 
monuments  of  our  work.  An  excellent  exhibit  has  been  placed  at 


33 


the  Carnegie  Museum  at  Pittsburgh.  Another  has  been  finally 
completed  in  the  State  Museum  at  Harrisburg,  and  a third  one  at 
the  Commercial  Museum  in  Philadelphia  is  not  yet  finished,  but 
has  been  planned  on  rather  a large  scale.  It  was  contemplated 
also  to  place  another  exhibit  in  the  Everhart  Museum  at  Scranton, 
which  may  yet  be  done.  An  excellent  exhibition  of  specimens  and 
illustrations  of  our  work  was  made  in  connection  with  the  State 
Forestry  Exhibition  at  Horticultural  Hall,  Philadelphia,  in  May. 

PUBLICATIONS. 

When  this  final  manuscript  is  published,  there  will  have  been  is- 
sued the  following  publications  of  this  Commission: 

Report  of  The  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Blight  Conference.  (Un- 
numbered) . 

Bulletin  No.  1 — The  Chestnut  Blight  Disease. 

Bulletin  No.  2 — Treatment  of  Ornamental  Chestnut  Trees  Af- 
fected with  the  Blight  Disease. 

Report  of  the  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission, 
July  1st  to  December  31st,  1912.  (Unnumbered). 

Bulletin  No.  3 — Field  Studies  in  Blight. 

Bulletin  No.  I — Chestnut  Blight  Fungus  and  a Related  Sapro- 
phyte. 

Bulletin  No.  5 — The  Symptoms  of  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  and  a 
Brief  Description  of  the  Blight  Fungus. 

Bulletin  No.  6 — The  Chestnut  Tree.  Methods  and  Specifications 
for  the  Utilization  of  Blighted  Chestnut. 

Bulletin  No.  7 — Morphology  and  Life  History  of  the  Chestnut 
Blight  Fungus. 

Final  Report  of  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission.  Numerous 
descriptive  and  educational  circulars,  charts,  etc. 

CO-OPERATION. 

Very  effective  co-operation  has  continued  to  be  maintained  with 
the  Office  of  Forest  Pathology,  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Plant  In- 
dustry. Recently  the  salaries  of  all  pathologists  connected  with 
the  Commission  have  been  carried  by  that  office,  and  there  has  been 
constant  communication  and  co-operation  in  reference  to  all  re- 
search work. 

Much  excellent  help  has  continually  been  given  by  the  State  For- 
estry Department  at  Harrisburg,  the  Deputy  Commissioner,  Hon.  I. 
C.  Williams,  being  assigned  as  a collaborator  with  tliis  Commission. 

The  authorities  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  have  been  ex- 
ceedingly courteous  in  granting  ample  space  for  laboratory  work 


34 


in  the  new  Zoology  Building.  Room  has  also  been  given  for  labora- 
tory work  in  tree  medication  in  the  Botanical  Building.  Franklin 
and  Marshall  College,  at  Lancaster,  and  the  State  College  of  Penn- 
sylvania, have  also  provided  room  for  laboratory  work  in  the  field 
investigations. 

There  has  been  a liberal  interchange  of  ideas  and  helpful  sug- 
gestions through  correspondence  with  the  State  Conservation  Com- 
mission at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  the  State  Forester  and  State  Pathologist 
of  New  Jersey,  the  State  Forester  of  Maryland  and  of  Massachusetts, 
and  with  officials  in  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  and  Maryland. 


MUCH  IMPORTANT  WORK  UNFINISHED. 

The  cessation  of  the  work  at  this  time  is  particularly  unfortunate 
because  so  many  important  investigations,  not  yet  finished, 
would  likely  have  had  a very  practical  and  beneficial  bearing  upon 
the  actual  eradication  of  the  disease. 

First. — Very  little  is  known  about  the  bast  miner — the  insect 
which,  as  stated  in  another  place,  is  probably  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant carriers  of  blight  spores.  A full  knowledge  of  the  life 
history  of  this  insect  would  probably  very  soon  have  been  com- 
pleted, and  which  would  be  a most  interesting  contribution  to  sci- 
ence*. 

Second. — The  Chemist  and  Physiologist  in  tree  medication  had 
planned  to  use  a new  solution  for  injection  into  diseased  trees, 
which  according  to  chemical  work  already  done,  promises  to  check 
the  growth  of  the  blight. 

Third. — The  local  intensive  work  in  utilization  had  just  begun, 
and  as  stated  elsewhere,  bids  fair  to  solve  largely  the  difficult 
problem  of  utilizing  rapidly  the  diseased  chestnut. 

Fourth.- — The  discovery  of  the  blight  in  China  and  the  posses- 
sion by  the  Commission  of  a large  number  of  seedlings  of  one  of 
the  most  important  Chinese  chestnuts,  as  well  as  immune  and  re- 
sistant Japanese  stock,  opens  a field  for  breeding  experiments 
which  would  without  question  have  been  of  the  greatest  benefit  to 
the  owners  of  chestnut  orchards. 

Fifth. — Although  not  demonstrated  before,  it  is  now  proved  that 
birds  and  insects  carry  enormous  quantities  of  spores  of  the  blight 
fungus,  which  necessarily  changes  our  viewpoint  considerably  with 
respect  to  the  eradication  of  the  disease. 

Sixth. — In  a number  of  forest  tracts  and  several  orchards,  thor- 
ough “cutting-out”  work  and  up-to-date  surgery  treatments  have 


♦Since  writing  the  above,  this  work  has  already  been  finished,  as  stated  in  footnote  on  page  46. 


35 


been  started  by  expert  employees  of  the  Commission,  which  are 
just  now  beginning  to  show  evidences  of  the  value  of  this  kind 
of  work. 

Brief  statements  of  the  results  of  the  different  lines  of  work  con- 
ducted by  the  Commission  follow,  credited  to  the  respective  parties 
in  charge. 

FIELD  OPERATIONS. 

As  heretofore,  all  field  work  has  been  conducted  under  the  im- 
mediate direction  of  the  General  Superintendent,  Mr.  S.  B.  Det- 
wiler.  In  the  following  statements  some  of  the  principal  features 
of  the  work  to  date  are  pointed  out  by  him,  and  also  suggestions 
given  to  timber  owners  who  may  wish  to  clear  their  woods  of  blight 
on  their  own  responsibility.  A statement  in  detail  of  the  effective- 
ness of  sanitation  cutting  in  controlling  the  blight,  by  Mr.  Detwiler,  is 
appended  to  this  report. 

REDUCTION  OF  FORCE. 

A majority  of  the  field  agents  of  the  Commission  were  dismissed 
in  January,  1913,  because  it  was  believed  that  very  little  work 
could  be  done  during  the  inclement  months  of  winter  and  spring. 
However,  the  unusually  open  winter  made  it  possible  for  the  small 
field  force  retained  to  accomplish  more  for  the  time  and  money  ex- 
pended than  at  any  previous  time  since  our  work  was  organized.  An 
average  force  of  36  men  in  the  western  district  and  11  men  in  the 
eastern  district  were  in  the  field  from  the  first  of  the  year  to  July 
25th,  1913,  when  all  field  work  was  discontinued. 

BETTER  WORK  IN  WINTER. 

The  experience  of  the  past  two  years  has  demonstrated  that  more 
can  be  accomplished  in  locating  and  destroying  the  blight  after  the 
leaves  have  fallen  than  while  the  trees  are  in  full  foliage.  Girdled 
twigs  and  branches  bearing  withered  leaves  are  prominent  at  great 
distances  in  winter,  and  the  increased  amount  of  light  admitted 
through  the  tops  of  the  trees  makes  it  easier  to  see  cankers  on  the 
trunks  and  branches.  The  proper  treatment  of  the  infected  trees 
is  no  more  difficult  in  winter  than  in  late  summer  or  fall,  unless 
the  snow  is  very  deep.  In  the  badly  blighted  region  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  State,  field  men  are  able  to  accomplish  better  results 
because  most  timber  owners  prefer  to  cut  their  timber  in  the  win 
fer,  when  they  can  spare  the  time  from  their  farming  operations. 


36 


FIELD  WORK  IN  THE  WESTERN  DISTRICT. 

Thorough  scouting  iu  1912  has  shown  that  no  blight  exists  west 
of  a line  drawn  through  central  Somerset  and  Cambria  counties, 
along  the  extreme  eastern  border  of  Cameron  County,  to  the  north- 
east corner  of  Tioga  County.  West  of  this  line,  nine  isolated  spot 
infections  were  found  in  six  counties,  but  all  of  these  infections 
were  eradicated  as  soon  as  found,  and  have  been  under  careful  sur- 
veillance  since.  These  infected  spots  were  located  in  Fayette,  Elk. 
Warren,  Potter,  Clarion  and  Indiana  counties,  and  five  out  of  the 
nine  spots  were  found  to  he  due  to  the  planting  of  diseased  nursery 
stock  purchased  from  nurseries  in  the  infected  region.  In  April, 
1913,  the  infection  in  Indiana  County  was  discovered  in  a shipment 
of  three  chestnut  trees  purchased  from  a nursery  in  New  Jersey. 
These  examples  show  very  strikingly  the  ease  with  which  the  blight 
is  widely  distributed  through  the  shipment  of  nursery  stock.  Per- 
sons who  have  planted  nursery  grown  chestnut  trees  in  regions  free 
from  the  blight,  should  watch  these  trees  carefully  for  the  first  ap- 
pearance of  the  disease,  and  promptly  destroy  all  infected  trees. 

Field  work  in  the  Western  District  during  the  period  covered  by 
this  report  has  been  confined  to  Tioga,  Clinton,  Lycoming,  Centre. 
Huntingdon,  Blair,  Bedford,  and  Somerset  counties.  Tioga,  Clin- 
ton, Centre,  and  Blair  counties  have  been  scouted  and  most  of  the 
diseased  trees  removed,  but  a considerable  amount  of  infection  still 
remains  in  Lycoming,  Huntingdon,  Bedford,  and  Somerset  counties. 
In  addition,  Fulton  and  Mifflin  counties  still  have  a large  amount 
of  infection  remaining,  siuc-e  with  the  small  field  force  it  was  im- 
possible to  continue  the  work  in  these  counties. 

The  accompanying  map  shows  the  progress  of  the  control  work 
in  the  Western  District,  and  the  location  of  infected  areas.  The 
following  tabulation  is  a statement  of  the  number  of  infected  trees 
found  and  cut  out  in  the  Western  District  from  the  time  the  work 
was  begun  until  July  1st,  1913: 


Map  showing  spot  infection  in  the  western  half  of  Pennsylvania  to  July  1,  1913,  indicated  by  circles.  Figures  inside  the  circles  indicate 
the  number  of  diseased  trees  found  in  each  locality. 

Inspection  in  eastern  half  of  the  State  is  generalized  from  the  best  information  available.  


37 


STATEMENT 


OF  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT  INFECTION  IN  THE 
WESTEBN  DISTRICT. 


County. 

Number  of  tracts  on  which 
infection  was  found. 

Total  number  of  infected 
trees  found. 

■ 

Total  number  of  infected  1 
trees  removed. 

1 

147 

4,027 

2,787 

91 

1,048 

829 

225 

1,884 

1,680 

142 

1,763 

169 

3,481 

2,' 704 

9 

117 

117 

1 

1 

1 

9 

450 

450 

6 

377 

377 

Fayette,  

2 

11 

11 

80 

1,902 

800 

Forest 

233 

5,287 

4,771 

1 

1 

1 

259 

5,015 

4,486 

Mifflin  

95 

1,976 

i,46S 

1 

1 

1 

92 

9,110 

S,093 

22 

207 

207 

12 

43 

43 

3 

16 

16 

1,609 

37,510 

30,705 

38 


A HARMLESS  SAPROPHYTE. 

Persons  familiar  with  the  appearance  of  the  chestnut  blight 
fungus  may  easily  confuse  it  with  another  fungus  found  in  Wash- 
ington, Greene,  and  Fayette  counties.  This  fungus  ( Endotkia 
radicalis  Schw.),  (Denot.)  is  related  to  the  blight  fungus  (Endothia 
parasitica  (Murr.)  (And.),  hut  is  found  only  on  dead  wood  and  bark 
and  does  not  attack  living  tissues.  It  lias  been  thoroughly  studied 
by  the  field  pathologist,  since  at  first  it  was  feared  that  it  might 
have  parasitic  tendencies.  Continued  investigation  proves  beyond 
doubt  that  this  fungus  is  a harmless  saprophyte  which  need  not  be 
feared.  It  need  not  be  confused  with  the  parasitic  species  by  those 
who  have  the  opportunity  to  compare  them. 


FIELD  WORK  IK  THE  EASTERN  DISTRICT. 

Field  work  in  the  Eastern  District  has  been  conducted  mainly 
on  the  plan  outlined  in  the  previous  report.  Inspections  were  made 
on  the  request  of  timber  owners  and  advice  given  as  to  the  best 
method  of  procedure  in  each  case.  Particular  attention  was  given 
to  assisting  owners  of  blighted  chestnut  in  finding  the  best  markets 
for  the  products.  On  the  request  of  owners  desiring  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  reduced  freight  rates  on  blighted  chestnut  cordwood, 
inspections  were  made  and  necessary  certificates  issued.  Super- 
vision of  enforced  cutting  of  all  blighted  chestnut  trees  within  a 
half  mile  of  chestnut  orchards  in  which  the  owners  are  endeavoring 
to  keep  the  disease  under  control,  was  continued. 

As  the  evidences  of  the  blight  become  more  noticeable  and  the 
seriousness  of  the  situation  forces  attention,  owners  of  chestnut 
timber  in  eastern  Pennsylvania  have  shown  an  increasing  interest 
in  the  work  of  controlling  the  blight,  and  more  requests  for  assist- 
ance were  received  than  could  be  given  individual  attention.  For 
the  guidance  of  owners  who  wished  to  clean  their  woods  of  blight, 
either  by  doing  the  work  themselves  or  having  it  done  by  contract, 
the  following  suggestions  were  made  by  the  Office  of  Utilization. 
These  suggestions  are  for  use  in  eastern  Pennsylvania  only,  where 
the  blight  is  general. 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  TIMBER  OWNERS. 

1.  It  is  always  advisable  in  cutting  blighted  chestnut  to  clean  up 
the  ground  thoroughly  and  burn  all  infected  material,  for  the  sake 
of  the  future  crop  and  the  community  as  a whole.  Even  if  financial 
reasons  make  it  impossible  to  treat  the  stumps  properly,  the  brusb 


Cutting  out 


39 


and  refuse  should  be  burned,  and  all  merchantable  material  re- 
moved from  the  tract  within  a reasonable  period.  Where  the  per- 
centage of  blight  is  very  high,  it  is  advisable  to  cut  all  the  chestnut 
trees  rather  than  attempt  to  remove  only  the  diseased  trees. 

2.  Stumps  should  not  be  cut  higher  than  the  diameter  of  the 
tree,  but  this  may  be  impracticable  in  sprout  growth  timber.  A low 
stump  saves  the  best  end  of  the  log,  and  causes  the  succeeding 
generation  of  sprouts  to  be  firmly  rooted. 

3.  Where  practicable,  all  timber  should  be  peeled.  Poles,  ties, 
posts  and  rails,  should  be  skidded  to  one  or  more  convenient  places. 
The  bark  and  chips  collected  at  these  points  should  be  burned,  since 
this  refuse  is  very  frequently  the  breeding  place  of  the  blight 
fungus. 

4.  It  is  advisable  to  remove  all  bark  from  the  stumps  down  to 
the  mineral  soil,  to  prevent  the  further  spread  of  the  disease  by  its 
growth  on  this  bark.  Unpeeled  stumps,  even  if  free  from  blight  at 
the  time  the  tree  is  felled,  are  very  apt  to  become  infected,  and  the 
disease  will  then  eventually  destroy  the  sprouts  at  the  base.  Stumps 
of  trees  cut  in  winter  while  the  bark  is  “tight”  may  be  left  until 
spring,  and  peeled  when  the  sap  is  ascending.  Stumps  made  in  sum- 
mer should  be  peeled  at  once. 

5.  All  chestnut  refuse,  including  the  brush  from  the  tops,  bark 
from  stumps,  chips,  etc.,  should  be  collected  and  burned  at  as  early 
a time  as  may  be  done  with  safety  from  tire.  Green  tops  of  trees 
felled  in  summer  can  be  burned  immediately  by  close  piling  over 
a well-started  tire.  The  danger  of  infecting  the  sprouts  from  the 
stump  is  lessened  if  the  fire  be  made  over  the  stump  after  peeling. 
Stumps  can  be  more  cheaply  sterilized,  however,  by  painting  them 
with  creosote,  and  creosote  also  appears  to  be  absolutely  effective  in 
keeping  the  stump  free  from  infection,  whereas  a fire  seldom  chars 
the  base  of  the  stump  sufficiently. 

6.  Woodsmen,  while  cutting  and  removing  chestnut,  should  do 
as  little  injury  as  possible  to  the  remaining  trees,  whether  large  or 
small.  Wdien  the  work  is  done  by  contract,  trees  carelessly  broken 
in  felling  chestnut  should  be  paid  for  at  their  market  value.  Mer- 
chantable chestnut  left  in  the  woods,  either  cut  or  uncut,  when  con- 
tracts call  for  the  removal  of  all  of  the  same,  should  be  paid  for  at 
its  market  value. 

7.  Great  care  should  be  exercised  in  burning  material  so  as  not 
to  injure  other  trees,  or  allow  fires  to  remain  unwatched  in  the 
woods.  Forest  fires  may  result,  causing  much  damage.  Burning 
should  not  be  done  when  the  woods  are  very  dry,  or  a high  wind  is 
blowing. 


40 


LOCAL  INTENSIVE  FIELD  WORK. 

Early  in  the  spring  a more  extensive  plan  of  field  work  in  the 
southeastern  portion  of  the  State  was  adopted.  A locality  was  se- 
lected where  the  blight  is  beyond  control,  and  immediate  utilization 
necessary  to  avoid  serious  financial  loss.  The  boundaries  of  the 
area  selected  were  so  made  that  the  timber  in  all  of  the  woodlots  in 
the  area  could  be  handled  in  much  the  same  way  as  though  the 
woodlots  comprised  a single  tract.  A map  showing  the  exact  loca- 
tion of  all  of  the  woodlots  was  made,  and  a field  agent  detailed  to 
estimate  merchantable  chestnut  in  the  form  of  saw  logs,  poles,  ties, 
posts  and  cordwood  in  each  woodlot.  The  local  market  for  these 
products  was  then  ascertained,  to  determine  whether  all  timber  on 
the  area  could  be  best  sold  locally  on  in  outside  markets.  At  the 
same  time  the  field  agent  interested  the  owners  of  the  woodlots  in 
the  prompt  removal  and  utilization  of  their  chestnut  trees  before 
greater  loss  was  occasioned  by  the  blight.  Usually  the  owner  of  a 
considerable  quantity  of  blighted  trees  is  anxious  to  follow  this 
course,  but  the  scarcity  of  competent  woodsmen  makes  it  difficult 
or  impossible.  In  such  cases,  the  Office  of  Utilization  presented  the 
data  obtained  by  the  field  agent  to  operators  of  portable  saw  mills, 
stave  mills,  pole  or  tie  cutters,  as  the  facts  warranted,  and  as  many  \ 
buyers  as  possible  were  interested  in  locating  on  the  area.  So  far 
as  there  was  time  to  test  this  plan,  it  appears  that  this  is  the  cheap- 
est and  most  effective  way  of  getting  results  in  the  eastern  district,  I 
since  what  is  desired  is  to  get  cutting  started  on  a sane  and  profit- 
able basis,  and  this  a mere  general  method  of  work  usually  fails  to 
accomplish.  Success  or  failure  depends  on  whether  or  not  buyer 
and  seller  can  be  brought  together  on  a satisfactory  basis.  The 
work  must  be  profitable  to  both  owner  and  dealer.  A competent 
and  well-informed  field  agent  can  work  out  a comprehensive  plan 
for  disposing  of  all  the  merchantable  chestnut  in  a commmunitv. 
Through  his  knowledge  of  prices,  rates,  specifications,  sanitation 
measures,  etc.,  he  is  the  means  of  saving  timber  owners  from  much 
of  the  loss  occasioned  by  the  blight. 

/ I 

DISEASE  INVESTIGATIONS  AND  NURSERY  INSPECTION. 

As  before  reported,  the  investigation  of  the  blight  fungus  aud 
the  nursery  inspection  work  are  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  F.  D. 
Heald.  Mr.  P.  J.  Anderson  has  given  special  attention  to  certain 
field  investigations,  including  the  work  at  Charter  Oak.  State- 
ments of  some  of  the  principal  features  of  the  work  here  follow: 


Hlijfht  Infected  District  in  Junintu  County, 


41 


GERMINATION  OF  SPORES. 

Pycnospores  of  the  blight  fungus,  sometimes  called  summer 
spores,  germinate  much  more  slowly  than  the  ascospores,  or  so- 
called  winter  spores.  The  type  of  growth  and  size  of  colonies  are 
different  in  the  early  stages  of  development  on  culture  media. 

PRODUCTION  OF  PYCNOSPORES  IN  WINTER, 

In  the  case  of  this  fungus  the  term  “summer  spores”  is  very  mis- 
leading, as  these  spores  are  produced  at  all  times  of  the  year,  being 
washed  down  in  large  numbers  from  blight  cankers  following  each 
winter  rain. 

BIRDS  DISSEMINATE  THE  FUNGUS. 

Careful  experiments  show  that  birds  act  as  carriers  of  spores  of 
the  blight  fungus.  Thirty-six  birds  belonging  to  nine  different 
species  have  been  tested.  Nineteen  were  found  to  carry  pycnospores, 
the  maximum  number  obtained  from  a single  bird,  (Downy  wood- 
pecker), being  757,074.  The  highest  number  was  always  obtained 
from  birds  shot  a few  days  after  a rain  period. 

“SHOOTING”  OF  ASCOSPORES. 

The  ascospores  are  expelled  forcibly,  but  this  expulsion  depends 
upon  temperature  as  well  as  moisture.  No  expulsion  took  place  in 
the  field  from  November  26tb,  1912,  to  March  21st,  1913,  the  tem- 
perature during  tire  winter  rains  being  too  low.  Bark  containing 
ascospore  pustules  has  continued  to  expel  ascospores  for  over  six 
months,  (in  the  laboratory). 


EFFECT  OF  TEMPERATURE. 

Pycnospores  are  easily  killed  by  heat,  (51°C).  Ascospores  are 
slightly  more  resistant,  only  a few  being  able  to  survive  57°C. 


RESISTANCE  OF  PYCNOSPORES. 

Pycnospores  are  easily  killed  under  certain  conditions,  but  can 
survive  in  considerable  numbers  under  certain  other  circumstances. 
Their  length  of  life  in  water  depends  to  some  exteut  upon  the  tem- 
perature. Thirty-three  per  cent,  survived  in  water  at  55°C,  after 


42 


42  days.  A large  percentage  can  survive  freezing  for  a consider- 
able period.  They  are  washed  down  to  the  ground  from  blight 
cankers,  during  every  rain,  and  have  never  been  found  to  disap- 
pear entirely  from  the  soil  during  the  longest  periods  between  rains. 

As  many  as  12  per  cent,  of  those  originally  present  in  a soil  sample 
have  survived  drying  for  63  days.  The  longevity  of  the  pycnospores 
is  greater  in  the  “spore  horn”  stage  than  when  they  are  separated  by 
rains  and  then  dried.  They  have  been  killed  in  twenty-four  hours 
by  drying  in  certain  tests,  while  the  act  of  drying  alone  is  gen- 
erally responsible  for  the  death  of  50-60  per  cent. 

EFFECT  OF  DRYING  ON  ASCOSPORES. 

Ascospores  when  shot  on  to  glass  slides  have  been  reported  as 
being  very  resistant  to  drying.  In  nature  they  are  generally  sepa- 
rated and  washed  by  the  rains.  Laboratory  tests  under  such  con- 
ditions indicate  that  they  are  very  sensitive  to  dessiccation.  Dry- 
ing alone  has  been  found  to  kill  as  many  as  94  per  cent,  in  certain 
tests. 

I 

ENTRANCE  OF  BLIGHT  IN  GALLS. 

A small  gall  on  the  chestnut  due  to  a lepidopterous  insect  (moth) 
has  been  found  to  be  one  of  the  places  of  entrance  of  the  blight 
fungus.  Twenty-eight  per  cent,  of  those  tested  showed  young  blight 
infections. 


INSECTS  AS  CARRIERS  OF  THE  DISEASE. 

Insects  may  act  as  carriers  of  the  spores  of  the  blight  fungus.  Of 
a total  of  75  tested,  many  were  found  to  be  carrying  spores.  The 
maximum  number  of  spores  of  the  blight  fungus  (336.900).  was  ob- 
tained from  a small  beetle,  ( Leptostylus  maculata),  which  has  been 
mentioned  as  a possible  beneficial  agent  on  account  of  its  pustule- 
eating habits. 

OTHER  DISEASES  OF  THE  CHESTNUT. 

There  is  another  “canker  disease”  of  the  chestnut  prevalent  in 
(he  State  which  is  entirely  distinct  from  the  blight.  It  is  even  more 
important  as  a disease  of  oaks  than  chestnut,  and  is  known  to  oc- 
cur on  chestnut  oak,  red  oak,  aiid  white  oak.  A dieback  of  the 
chestnut  is  not  uncommon.  Still  another  fungus  appears  to  be  as- 
sociated with  this  trouble.  A tip  blight  of  the  chestnut  has  also 
been  found,  and  in  connection  with  it,  a third  species  of  fungus. 


43 


FIELD  INVESTIGATIONS. 

A field  laboratory  has  all  along  been  maintained  at  Charter  Oak, 
and  much  of  the  outdoor  inoculation  work  and  other  experiments 
have  been  conducted  in  that  vicinity.  Experiments  have  been  con- 
ducted here  on  the  rate  of  growth  of  blight  cankers,  details  of  which 
are  tabulated  in  another  manuscript,  submitted  for  a bulletin.  It 
is  sufficient  to  say  here  that  the  retarding  influence  of  the  winter 
season  is  shown  by  these  experiments.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
cankers  have  continued  to  spread  even  in  the  winter,  though  the 
growth  is  much  more  rapid  in  the  summer  months. 

Inoculations  have  been  made  both  with  ascospores  and  with 
pycnospores  during  every  month  of  the  last  year.  No  cankers  have 
appeared  as  yet  from  winter  inoculations. 

Other  species  of  trees  besides  chestnut  have  been  inoculated  with 
the  blight  fungus  in  larger  numbers  than  last  year,  special  atten- 
tion being  given  to  the  oaks.  As  yet  there  is  no  evidence  that  the 
blight  fungus  will  establish  parasitic  relation  with  any  other  host, 
although  occasionally  a canker  will  be  produced. 

Careful  tree  surgery  experiments  have  been  conducted  at  Charter 
Oak,  and  to  date  only  three  cases  are  reported  in  which  the  canker 
continued  to  spread  after  cutting  out  and  treatment. 


NURSERY  INSPECTION. 

The  office  records  give  the  following  information  in  regard  to 
each  nursery  inspection: — date,  name  and  location  of  nursery,  num- 
ber of  trees  inspected,  number  of  trees  rejected,  fungicides  used  for 
dipping  the  stock,  name  and  location  of  purchaser  of  stock. 

The  nurseries  from  which  chestnut  stock  was  shipped  during  the 
fall  of  1912  and  spring  of  1913,  are  as  follows: — C.  K.  Sober,  Paxi- 
nos,  Pa.;  Hoopes  Bros.  & Thomas,  West  Chester,  Pa.;  Lovett 
Nursery,  Emilie,  Pa. ; Rakestraw  & Pyle,  Kennett  Square,  Pa. ; 
Morris  Nursery,  West  Chester,  Pa.;  Cheltenham  Nursery,  Oak 
Lane,  Pa.;  Jos.  Moore,  Montoursville,  Pa.;  S.  L.  Cummings  & Co., 
Dewart,  Pa.,  and  Marietta  Nursery,  Marietta,  Pa. 

In  the  fall  of  1912,  6,538  trees  were  inspected.  Of  these  81  were 
rejected,  and  the  remainder  6,457,  distributed.  In  the  spring  of 
this  year  5,305  trees  were  inspected,  of  which  195  were  rejected  and 
the  remainder  5,110  distributed.  The  trees  rejected  were  either  in- 
fected with  chestnut  blight,  or  showed  doubtful  incipient  infec- 
tions. In  case  of  doubt  the  inspectors  were  instructed  to  reject  the 
tree.  The  number  of  rejected  trees,  however,  is  no  indication  of 


44 


the  percentage  of  blight  in  any  nursery,  since  many  diseased  trees 
are  removed  from  the  nurseries  previous  to  the  time  of  making  ship- 
ments, and  only  those  thought  to  be  healthy  trees  are  offered  for  in- 
spection. 

Probably  the  greater  portion  of  the  trees  went  to  purchasers  in 
either  Pennsylvania  or  New  York.  In  case  of  re-distribution  by 
other  dealers,  however,  the  final  destination  of  the  stock  is  not 
known.  According  to  available  records,  the  trees  were  sold  to 
purchasers  in  the  following  States. — California,  Colorado,  Con- 
necticut, District  of  Columbia,  Georgia,  Idaho,  Illinois,  Indiana, 
Iowa,  Kansas,  Kentucky,  Maryland,  Michigan,  Missouri,  Nebraska, 
New  Hampshire,  New  York,  North  Carolina,  Ohio.  Pennsylvania, 
Tennessee,  Texas,  and  Wisconsin. 


INSECT  INVESTIGATIONS. 


The  investigations  to  determine  what  part,  if  any,  insects  take  in 
the  transmission  of  the  chestnut  blight  have  been  continued  under 
the  immediate  direction  of  Prof.  A.  G.  Euggles.  A number  of 
interesting  facts  have  been  determined,  but  several  important  studies 
were  just  well  under  way  when  the  work  was  suspended. 

The  relation  of  insects  to  blight  dissemination  comes  under  three 
headings;  first,  insects  that  carry  the  spores  of  the  fungus  and 
actually  start  new  infections  at  the  time:  second,  insects  that 
carry  the  spores  but  do  not  directly  start  infections;  and  third, 
insects  that  make  wounds  in  which  infection  readily  takes  place 
through  spores  carried  by  some  other  agency. 

INSECTS  CAUSING  DIRECT  INFECTION. 

To  the  present  time  very  little  definite  data  have  been  obtained 
on  tli is  point,  but  the  longer  the  subject  is  studied,  the  more  prob- 
able it  appears  that  ordinary  insects  traveling  over  a tree,  although 
they  may  carry  hundreds  of  spores  on  their  bodies,  do  not  directly 
start  new  infections. 

INSECTS  CARRYING  SPORES  BUT  CAUSING  NO  DIRECT 

INFECTION. 

Ants  were  allowed  to  run  over  cankers  showing  pyenidial  pus- 
tules or  “spore  horns,”  and  also  cankers  where  ascospores  were 
shooting,  and  then  placed  in  flasks  of  sterile  water  and  washed 


45 


from  two  to  twenty-four  hours.  Plate  cultures  made  from  this  ma- 
terial showed  in  many  instances  the  presence  of  blight  spores  on  the 
bodies  of  the  ants.  In  the  same  way  it  was  determined  that  other 
insects  to  the  number  of  about  twenty  species  also  carry  the  spores 
of  chestnut  blight.  The  number  of  spores  carried  in  each  instance 
varied  from  a very  few  to  the  enormous  number  of  336,900.  The 
particular  insect,  (Leptostylus  maculata) , carrying  the  336,900 
spores  mentioned,  is  one  of  the  beetles  named  in  a recent  press  no- 
tice of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  as  being  very  active 
in  eating  spores  of  the  blight  fungus.  Therefore  this  beetle  while 
destroying  spores  of  the  blight  is  at  the  same  time  covering  its  body 
with  thousands  of  other  chestnut  blight  spores  which  it  carries 
from  tree  to  tree,  making  it  probably  an  injurious  insect,  instead 
of  a beneficial  one  in  this  respect. 

INSECTS  MAKING  WOUNDS  IN  TREES  THUS  OPENING  THE 
WAY  FOR  INFECTION. 

This  is  probably  the  most  serious  way  in  which  insects  are  re- 
lated to  blight  dissemination.  Among  the  most  serious  of  wound 
making  insects  are  the  seventeen-year  cicadas,  tree-hoppers,  bark 
borers,  and  bast  miners.  Of  these  only  two  have  been  studied 
closely, — the  cicadas  and  the  bast  miners. 

CICADA  STINGS. 

In  1911  there  was  a brood  of  seventeen-year  cicadas  in  several 
counties  in  the  eastern  part  of  Pennsylvania.  The  relations  that 
these  stings  bore  to  blight  infection  have  been  studied  near  Lehigh  - 
fon.  Many  counts  were  made  on  trees  and  sprouts.  While  only 
4.3  per  cent,  to  10.4  per  cent,  of  all  stings  were  found  to  be  infected 
with  chestnut  blight,  from  86  per  cent,  to  93.8  per  cent,  of  all  infec- 
tions were  in  stings.  This  cicada  injury  was  studied  where  the 
blight  seemed  most  abundant.  In  the  same  tract  where  blight  was 
less  prevalent,  oilier  counts  were  made  with  less  striking  results. 
These  observations  would  seem  to  show  that  blight  infection  is  in- 
fluenced  considerably  by  the  number  of  wounds  made,  but  that 
infection  many  times  does  not  take  place  through  a wound  although 
seemingly  appropriate  openings  for  catching  blight  may  be  present. 

THE  BAST  MINER, 

The  work  of  the  bast  miner  was  first  called  to  our  attention  by  Mr. 
S.  B.  Detwiler.  It  is  believed  to  be  the  most  important  insect  causing 
wounds  in  the  chestnut.  Experiments  and  studies  up  to  the  pres- 


46 


ent  time  make  it  probable  that  the  bast  miner  is  responsible  for 
much  blight  infection.  To  understand  thoroughly  the  relationship 
of  this  insect  to  the  blight  fungus,  the  life  history  has  to  be  known. 
Much  time  has  been  spent  upon  this  subject,  but  unfortunately  to 
date,  the  work  has  not  been  completed.*  The  injurious  period  of 
its  life  history  has  been  obtained,  but  the  period  that  would  have 
to  do  with  its  suppression,  namely  the  adult  period  and  time  of  egg 
laying,  has  not  been  discovered. 

LARVAL  EXIT  HOLES  AS  POINTS  OF  INFECTION. 

Hundreds  of  sticks  of  smooth  bark  trees  of  chestnut  were  ex- 
amined during  the  past  winter  and  spring  to  determine  the  num- 
ber and  nature  of  the  larval  exit  holes  of  the  bast  miner.  Every 
piece  a foot  long  and  over  two  inches  in  diameter  had  bast  miner  1 
burrows  present.  The  lowest  number  for  a linear  foot  was  one  bur- 
row while  the  highest  was  fifteen.  The  number  of  exit  holes  for  a 
small  tree,  therefore,  would  vary  from  ten  to  one  hundred  and  j 
fifty.  In  one  acre  of  chestnut  trees  the  number  of  these  exit  holes 
would  be  enormous.  In  the  light  of  what  we  now  know,  recent  j 
observations  show  that  50  per  cent,  of  this  class  of  infections  origi-  j 
nated  in  bast  miner  exit  holes* 

CROTCH  INFECTIONS. 

Many  infections  are  known  to  start  around  crotches,  and  we  ; 
speak  of  them  as  crotch  infections.  The  eggs  of  the  bast  miner  are  i 
laid  near  crotches  and  the  newly  hatched  larvas  may  make  entrance  | 
holes  sufficiently  large  to  allow  spores  of  blight  to  enter.  Here  i 
again  the  bast  miner  may  be  responsible,  and  if  such  proves  to  be 
a fact,  this  insect  would  be  the  indirect  cause  of  90  per  cent,  instead 
of  50  per  cent,  of  the  infection  on  smooth  bark  trees.  All  other  in-  I 
sects  mentioned  as  making  wounds,  with  perhaps  the  exception  of 
the  tree  hoppers,  are  local  or  else  the  number  of  wounds  is  not  ap-  j 
preciable;  but  in  the  case  of  the  bast  miner,  the  insect  is  found 
wherever  the  chestnut  grows. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  ANTS. 

Ants  being  found  so  commonly  around  blight  cankers  on  chestnut 
trees,  it  has  been  claimed  that  in  some  instances  they  are  respon- 
sible for  as  much  as  90  per  cent,  of  blight  dissemination.  To  ob- 

*Since  writing  the  above,  Prof.  Ruggles  has  produced  the  mature  insect  in  breeding  experiments 
and  has  thus  completed  our  knowledge  of  its  lifp  history,  op<i  finds  the  insect  to  be  a species 
new  to  science. 


47 


tain  information  on  this  matter,  it  was  decided  during  the  winter 
to  experiment  with  ants  in  the  greenhouse.  Two  rooms  were  set 
off  as  an  insectary.  The  inner  of  these  two  rooms  being  thoroughly 
sterilized,  was  called  the  sterile  room,  and  the  outer  room  was  called 
the  blighted  room.  In  the  latter  as  much  blight  material  of  the 
kind  required  as  could  be  obtained  was  kept  and  placed  on  the 
ant  table,  where  three  colonies  of  ants  made  their  homes.  From 
the  table  in  this  room  the  ants  were  allowed  to  run  through  a glass 
tube  to  sterile  seedling  trees  in  the  sterile  room.  The  ants  were 
of  the  same  species  as  those  suspected  of  carrying  the  blight,  and 
were  the  common  mound-builders,  (Formica  Integra ),  being  ob- 
tained in  the  region  of  Lewisburg,  Union  County. 

The  result  of  the  experiment  was  that  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  dried  leaves  on  each  tree  which  were  chewed  or  worked  on  by 
the  ants,  the  trees  in  the  sterile  room  are  as  healthy  as  when  first 
placed  on  the  table  to  be  run  over  by  the  ants.  The  indication, 
therefore,  is  that  ants  are  not  responsible  for  blight  infection. 


INFECTION  IN  GALLS. 

A more  or  less  cylindrical  gall  is  found  on  the  tips  of  branches 
and  on  sprouts  of  chestnut,  caused  by  an  insect  claimed  to  be  a 
moth.  At  West  Chester  and  Valley  Forge,  these  galls  are  very 
numerous.  Out  of  161  galls  examined  by  the  plant  pathologist, 
forty-five  of  the  28  per  cent,  showed  the  presence  of  blight,  while 
49  per  cent,  showed  the  presence  of  another  fungus.  A gall  that 
shows  the  presence  of  chestnut  blight  in  such  a large  percentage  of 
cases  should  be  given  careful  study. 


CHEMICAL  INVESTIGATIONS. 


EXCESS  OF  TANNIN  IN  DISEASED  WOOD. 

The  principal  features  of  the  chemical  investigations  which  have 
been  continued  in  charge  of  Mr.  Joseph  Shrawder,  are  as  follows: 
The  abnormal  tannin  content  of  infected  material  was  the  chief 
subject  of  interest  in  the  last  report.  Invariably,  infected  wood 
and  hypertrophied  material  continue  to  show  a higher  tannin  con- 
tent than  sound  material  from  the  same  sample. 


4 


48 


LOSS  OF  VOLATILE  MATTER. 

Moisture  and  other  volatile  matter  proved  of  interest  also.  By 
prolonged  heating  at  temperatures  up  to  155°C,  infected  material 
showed  a greater  ratio  of  loss. 

CELLULOSE  DETERMINATIONS. 

A series  of  cellulose  determinations  was  also  made  to  note  the 
effect  of  the  fungus  on  wood  and  bark.  A higher  percentage  of 
cellulose  in  sound  material  leads  us  to  believe  that  it  is  being  di- 
gested with  the  formation  of  acids  and  other  soluble  matter.  It 
may  also  be  that  part  of  this  soluble  matter  is  reported  as  tannin 
by  the  hide  powder  method.  This,  with  the  deficiency  of  cellulose, 
may  account  for  the  relative  high  tannin  content  appearing  on 
analysis. 

CHEMICAL  CHANGES. 

The  determination  of  starch,  reducing  sugar,  and  nitrogen  shows 
that  decided  chemical  changes  are  being  produced  by  the  fungus. 
However,  this  work  was  not  brought  to  a satisfactory  conclusion 
owing  to  the  sudden  termination  of  the  work  of  the  Commission. 


NEW  INJECTION  MATERIAL  FOR  TREE  MEDICATION. 

Some  preliminary  work  was  also  started  in  a search  for  a suit- 
able injection — material  to  be  used  in  the  tree-medication  experi- 
ments. It  is  evident  from  the  chemical  investigation  that  a suit- 
able injection-material  must  not  coagulate  the  excessive  tannin 
and  other  colloids  in  the  wood  and  bark,  and  that  it  must  be  able 
to  penetrate  cutin  in  suberin  in  order  to  diffuse  properly  through 
the  infected  area.  A brief  investigation  of  a modified  chlorine  solu- 
tion showed  that  it  fulfilled  these  requirements  in  many  respects, 
but  its  value  in  treating  trees  has  not  been  determined. 


TREE  MEDICATIOX. 


The  experiments  in  tree  medication,  in  charge  of  Dr.  Caroline 
Rumbold,  have  been  for  some  time  conducted  in  a large  chestnut 
orchard  located  near  Martic  Forge,  Lancaster  County.  The  follow- 
ing is  a brief  statement  of  recent  work: 


49 


PLOTS  UNDER  EXPERIMENT. 

In  1912  three  plots  were  selected  for  experiment.  Each  con- 
tained about  fifty  trees  varying  in  age  from  seedlings  to  eighteen 
years  old.  This  year  two  new  plots  were  added  to  the  three  of 
1912.  Some  tree  surgery  work  was  done,  and  the  trees  sprayed 
with  lime-sulphur. 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  WORK  OF  1912. 

Last  year  fifty-four  trees  were  injected;  15  with  salts  of  the 
heavier  metals;  5 with  formaldehyde;  12  with  stains;  22  with  alka- 
lies, and  the  remainder  with  water.  An  attempt  was  made  to  inject 
two  trees  with  canker  extract,  but  the  solution  would  not  go  into 
the  trees. 

On  June  7,  1913,  results  of  observations  on  these  trees  injected 
last  year  were  made  as  follows: 

To  date,  the  injections  of  the  salts  of  the  heavier  metals,  (copper, 
zinc,  barium),  appear  not  to  have  killed  the  trees,  although  they 
mutilated  them.  Those  injected  with  the  copper  salts  suffered  the 
most.  Inoculations  made  on  these  trees  after  they  were  injected 
have  taken,  and  the  cankers  forming  are  larger  than  those  on  the 
check  trees.  Of  the  five  trees  injected  with  the  formaldehyde,  two 
are  alive,  but  mutilated.  Inoculations  on  these  trees  have  formed 
cankers  larger  than  .those  on  the  check  trees.  Most  of  the  trees 
injected  with  stains  have  been  cut  down,  for  observation.  None  were 
killed,  however,  by  the  injection.  The  trees  injected  with  water 
are  in  good  condition  with  the  exception  of  one  tree  infected  with  a 
canker,  which  is  now  girdled.  The  only  unusual  sign  about  the  tree 
is  the  large  amount  of  suckers  at  its  base. 

FAVORABLE  EFFECTS  OF  ALKALIES. 

The  trees  injected  with  alkalies  are  all  in  good  condition  at  pres- 
ent. An  encouraging  feature  of  the  experiment  with  alkalies  is 
that  a number  of  inoculations  on  these  trees  did  not  take,  and  on 
those  which  have  taken  cankers  have  formed  smaller  than  those  on 
the  check  trees.  These  trees  were  cut  into  in  April  in  order  to 
count  the  number  o*-  inoculations  that  took,  and  in  a number  of 
cases  these  cuts  have  formed  callus. 

INJECTIONS  IN  1913. 

The  past  spring,  69  trees  have  been  treated — 21  with  colloids,  18 
with  alkalies,  18  with  acids,  17  with  benzenes,  one  with  methyl 
alcohol,  and  two  with  methylene  blue,  while  five  are  water  checks. 
The  method  of  injection  used  this  year  is  the  same  as  in  1912. 


50 


EFFECTS  OF  THIS  YEAR’S  INJECTIONS. 

The  trees  have  not  reacted  to  the  injections  this  year  as  quickly 
as  last  summer.  The  slowness  of  reaction  may  be  due  to  the  season 
of  the  year,  the  cool  weather,  and  the  large  amount  of  rain  since 
injections  began.  As  was  to  be  expected,  the  trees  have  reacted 
to  the  injections  differently.  Potassium  chromate  and  bi-chromate 
caused  the  fastest  and  most  severe  reactions.  Reactions  of  the 
trees  to  the  chemicals  are  generally  shown  by  discoloring,  drying, 
or  falling  leaves.  Sometimes  the  trunk  shows  the  path  the  solu- 
tion followed  by  sunken  areas,  or  long  cracks  in  the  bark,  extend- 
ing up  the  tree.  So  far  no  results  can  be  given  as  to  the  effect  of 
this  year’s  injections,  either  on  the  trees  themselves  or  on  the 
canker  growth.  The  full  effect  of  the  present  injections  probably 
cannot  be  seen  until  next  year. 


TREE  SURGERY. 


INDIVIDUAL  TREE  EXAMINATIONS. 

The  tree  surgery  work  was  continued  in  charge  of  Mr.  Roy  G. 
Pierce.  A brief  statement  of  the  work  here  follows: — 

Numerous  requests  for  examinations  of  individual  trees  have 
been  received  continuously  up  to  the  time  of  closing  our  work. 
These  requests  have  come  from  owners  of  individual  lawn  trees, 
owners  of  cultivated  orchard  trees,  and  owners  of  wood  lots  or 
small  forest  properties.  When  desired  the  owners  or  the  gardeners 
were  instructed  how  to  take  care  of  the  trees.  This  is  the  most 
satisfactory  way  of  handling  this  kind  of  work,  since  frequent 
examinations  during  the  growing  season  are  necessary  to  keep  the 
chestnut  blight  under  control.  The  owner,  if  well  informed,  may 
notice  a diseased  twig  or  branch  at  any  time  and  remove  it  before 
tbe  infection  has  spread  any  further.  On  request,  the  names  of 
reputable  tree  surgeons  have  been  given  the  owners. 

ADVICE  IN  FOREST  MANAGEMENT. 

Frequently  where  there  have  been  a large  number  of  infected 
chestnut  trees  in  the  forest,  as  on  Mount  Penn  and  on  the  Never- 
sink  Mountain  at  Reading,  or  at  Galen  Hall,  Wernersville,  Berks 


Tree  surgery-  Operator  has  gouged  outer  rim  of  canker,  leaving  mycelium  of 
chestnut  blight  in  center.  Other  cuts  shown,  on  tree  were  made  at  an 
earlier  period. 


51 


County,  the  owners  have  not  been  so  desirous  of  prolonging  the  life 
of  the  chestnut  trees  as  of  maintaining  a grove  or  woodlot  of  trees 
of  different  kinds.  In  such  cases  the  first  principles  of  forestry 
have  been  recommended,  namely,  requiring  the  removal  of  trees  that 
were  becoming  badly  diseased,  thus  giving  place  to  other  tree 
species  coming  up  beneath,  such  as  hickories  and  oaks,  instead  of 
advising  any  tree  surgery. 

CONTACT  WITH  THE  PEOPLE. 

In  thus  meeting  the  people  themselves,  it  has  been  possible  to  in- 
form them  much  more  thoroughly  on  the  real  cause  of  the  blight 
than  can  be  done  through  the  medium  of . bulletins  or  newspaper 
articles.  Many  still  think  that  the  chestnut  blight  is  caused  by 
an  insect  or  a mysterious  something  that  kills  the  trees  by  descend- 
ing on  them  as  a vapor.  To  these  people,  however,  “seeing  is  be- 
lieving.” 

EXPERIMENTS. 

Experiments  have  been  started  at  different  points: — (1)  On 

methods  of  cutting  out  cankers;  (2)  With  substances  used  as 
sterilizing  agents  and  as  water-proofing;  (3)  On  the  charring  of 
cankers  for  various  periods  of  one  to  five  minutes;  and  (4)  On  the 
uses  of  various  fungicides  and  water-proofings  for  painting  over 
the  cankers. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  LIME-SULPHUR, 

The  use  of  the  lime-sulphur  spray  to  prevent  infection  has  been 
experimentally  tried  at  several  places  on  orchard  chestnut  trees. 
One  of  the  most  important  of  these  experiments  is  one  that  was 
started  in  Chester  County  in  an  orchard  of  200  chestnut  trees,  41 
trees  being  used  for  the  experiment,  the  trees  ranging  in  height 
from  15  to  35  feet,  and  about  twenty-five  years  of  age.  At  the  time 
of  closing  the  work  of  the  Commission,  these  experiments  have  not 
yet  been  continued  for  one  year,  therefore  no  definite  results  have 
been  obtained,  nor  can  any  definite  conclusion  be  drawn. 


ALLEGED  CURES  FOR  THE  BLIGHT. 

Besides  the  trials  of  different  treatments  at  Emilie,  Bucks  county, 
mentioned  elsewhere,  three  residents  of  Pennsylvania,  who  claim 
they  have  cures  for  the  chestnut  blight,  have  been  permitted  to  dem- 
onstrate the  efficacy  of  their  cures  at  other  points.  Two  off  these 
“cures”  are  already  failing  at  the  present  time. 


52 


LOCATION  OF  CANKERS. 

An  observation  which  may  be  of  importance  is  that  blight  cank- 
ers are  very  seldom  found  to  have  started  on  the  underside  of 
branches. 

VALUE  OF  TREE  SURGERY  WORK. 

The  work  of  tree  surgery  thus  far  has  shown  that  it  is  possible 
to  save  chestnut  trees  that  are  diseased  with  the  chestnut  blight. 
This  can  only  be  done,  however,  by  the  most  careful  tree  surgery, 
followed  by  frequent  examinations  for  new  infections  and  the 
spread  of  the  old  ones.  Young,  smooth  bark  trees  are  more  easily 
saved  than  old  thick  bark  trees,  because  it  is  much  easier  to  dis- 
cover the  blight  on  the  former  than  on  the  latter. 

OTHER  TREE  SURGERY  WORK. 

In  addition  to  the  tree  surgery  work  under  the  immediate  direc- 
tion of  Mr.  Pierce,  other  competent  employees  of  the  Commission 
have  done  similar  work  at  Emilie,  Charter  Oak,  and  in  a large 
orchard  at  Paxinos,  the  results  of  which  up  to  this  date  are  con- 
sidered as  largely  successful. 

The  accompanying  figures,  No.  I and  No.  II,  will  illustrate  cer- 
tain phases  of  the  tree  surgery  work. 


GEOGR  APHIC  WORK. 


WEATHER  CONDITIONS. 

A brief  statement  of  some  additional  work  by  the  Geographer,  Dr. 
F.  P.  Gulliver,  follows: — 

Since  the  last  report  very  few  definite  facts  have  been  obtained 
as  to  the  relation  of  rainfall  to  the  spread  of  the  blight,  but  noth- 
ing has  yet  been  learned  which  would  contradict  the  opinion  pre- 
viously stated  that  blight  dissemination  increases  much  more 
rapidly  during  rainy  periods. 

RELATION  OF  SOILS  TO  BLIGHT  OCCURRENCE. 

Considerable  time  has  been  given  recently  to  a study  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  soils  in  different  localities  in  the  State  where  there  is 


53 


more  or  less  chestnut  blight,  to  determine  whether  there  is  any  real 
relation  between  the  nature  of  the  soil,  and  the  amount  of  the  dis- 
ease in  any  locality. 

LOCATION  OF  OBSERVATIONS. 

After  a careful  survey  of  the  State,  it  was  decided  to  conduct  this 
study  in — (1),  Chester  Valley;  (2),  The  Ivutztown  Valley,  Berks 
County,  and  (3),  Center  County.  To  date,  there  has  been  time 
only  to  make  observations  in  the  first  two  localities.  In  the  Chester 
Valley  these  studies  have  been  much  facilitated  because  of  the  con- 
stant occurrence  of  limestone  toward  the  base  of  the  mountains, 
and  of  shales  toward  the  top.  Usually,  more  chestnut  blight  was 
found  near  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  and  less,  as  one  descends  to- 
wards the  valley. 

RESULTS  OF  OBSERVATIONS. 

The  results  of  these  observations  on  the  relation  of  limestone  or 
other  alkaline  soils  to  blight  distribution,  are  as  follows,  which 
are  simply,  however,  what  appear  to  be  the  facts  obtained  from 
studies  to  date,  and  are  not  put  forth  as  absolute  conclusions. 

(1)  — In  every  series  of  tracts  taken  from  limestone  to  overlying 
shale  soils,  the  percentage  of  blight  is  least  at  a comparatively 
short  distance  (50  to  200  ft.),  from  the  edge  of  the  limestone. 

(2)  — Tracts  on  soils  derived  from  limestone  which  show  the 
highest  percentage  of  blight  seem  to  be  those  where  the  soil  has 
become  acid  from  underground  drainage,  and  consequent  leaching 
out  of  the  alkalies. 

(3)  — Chestnut  trees  on  soils  derived  from  other  alkaline  rocks 
show  less  blight  than  is  found  in  the  trees  on  shale  soils  with  lime- 
stone underneath. 

(4)  — Where  the  rocks  have  been  faulted,  and  an  older  crystalline 
rock  has  been  brought  up  to  the  level  of  the  later  formed  limestone, 
there  does  not  appear  to  be  any  less  blight  on  the  crystalline  rock 
near  the  limestone. 

RELATION  OF  ALTITUDE  TO  BLIGHT  DISTRIBUTION. 

On  about  200  tracts  examined,  there  does  not  seem  to  be  any  re- 
lation between  the  percentage  of  blight  and  the  elevation  above 
sea  level. 


u 


UTILIZATION. 


At  the  time  of  the  last  report,  the  work  of  “Utilization”  was  in 
charge  of  Professor  J.  P.  Wentling.  He  continued  to  direct  this 
work  until  March  1,  1913,  when  his  leave  of  absence  expired,  and 
he  resigned  to  resume  his  duties  in  the  Forest  School  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Minnesota.  From  that  date,  Mr.  W.  M.  Kirby  acted  in 
charge  of  the  office  work,  while  Mr.  J.  R.  Wilson  was  made  directly 
responsible  for  the  field  operations.  Until  a suitable  specialist 
could  be  obtained,  the  General  Superintendent,  Mr.  S.  B.  Detwiler, 
has  had  general  direction  temporarily,  of  all  the  utilization  work. 


PRELIMINARY  WORK. 

For  sometime,  naturally,  a great  deal  of  information  had  to  be 
obtained  as  to  timber  owners,  purchasers  of  chestnut  products, 
portable  saw  mills,  demands  for  various  kinds  of  products,  etc.,  be- 
sides working  out  a general  plan  of  active  procedure.  This  had 
been  largely  done  by  Professor  Wentling,  before  leaving,  and  he 
had  already  pointed  out  the  importance  of  the  portable  mill  opera- 
tor, the  necessity  of  experiments  in  deterioration  of  blighted  chest- 
nut, and  of  making  tests  of  certain  chestnut  products  through 
reputable  manufacturers,  and  also  the  desirability  of  a trial  of 
intensive  local  utilization  in  a few  localities,  and  showed  that  it 
was  desirable  to  keep  in  close  touch  with  the  important  lumber  as- 
sociations. 

CONCLUSIONS  OF  UTILIZATION  CONFERENCE  AT 

TRENTON. 

At  a Utilization  Conference  between  various  State  and  National 
officials  held  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey,  certain  conclusions  were  arrived 
at  as  to  special  lines  of  work  in  utilization.  Among  these,  it  was 
recommended  that  the  individual  States  take  up  local  market 
studies. 


LOCAL  INTENSIVE  UTILIZATION. 

In  accordance  with  the  conclusions  of  the  Utilization  Conference 
above  mentioned,  and  in  line  with  the  suggestion  of  the  Forester  of 
this  Commission  previously  in  charge  of  Utilization,  it  was  decided 
to  try  such  local  work  at  one  or  two  points  in  this  State,  the  work 
being  under  direction  of  the  General  Superintendent.  The  first 
place  selected  was  in  the  vicinity  of  West  Chester,  Chester  county. 


55 


The  local  market  for  various  chestnut  products  was  thoroughly  ex- 
ploited to  determine  what  amouut  could  be  taken  care  of  in  local 
consumption,  and  afterwards  it  was  determined  so  far  as  possible, 
how  much  of  the  surplus  could  be  disposed  of  at  more  distant  mar- 
kets. The  results  of  the  work  have  been  very  interesting,  and  bid 
fair  to  solve  largely  the  entire  problem  of  utilization. 


RESULTS  OF  THE  LOCAL  WORK. 

In  the  short  time  that  has  been  given  to  this  work,  up  to  the  date 
of  closing,  remarkable  progress  has  been  made,  as  the  following 
statement  shows: — 

(1)  — Careful  estimates  of  timber  were  made  of  14  tracts,  in  the 
vicinity,  I’anging  in  size  from  2 to  26  acres  each. 

(2)  — Various  satisfactory  interviews  were  obtained  with  the  tim- 
ber owners,  and  in  this  connection,  it  was  found  that  there  has  been 
much  change  in  the  sentiment  of  owners,  favorable  to  a rapid  dis- 
posal of  blighted  chestnut. 

(3)  — All  local  timber  operators  were  interviewed. 

(4)  — It  was  found  that  the  owners  themselves  could  use  a large 
amount  of  their  own  timber  for  fencing. 

(5)  — Lists  of  buyers  of  chestnut  products  were  obtained  at  West 
Chester,  Uowningtown  and  vicinity,  and  along  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  main  line. 

(6)  — After  getting  the  confidence  of  timber  owners,  they  were 
quite  willing  to  place  the  disposal  of  their  chestnut  wholly  in  the 
hands  of  Commission  employees. 

(7)  — One  thousand  ties  were  sold  to  a street  railway  company, 
and  orders  were  expected  for  5,000  more. 

(8) - — Arrangements  were  made  for  installing  a saw  mill  in  the 
area. 

(9)  — At  the  time  of  closing  the  work,  efforts  were  being  made 
to  obtain  20,000  poles  for  a firm  in  New  Jersey. 


DIFFICULTY  OF  OBTAINING  LABOR, 

In  the  particular  local  work  above  referred  to,  the  difficulty  of 
obtaining  labor  was  encountered,  as  in  all  other  cases  of  work  of 
this  kind.  Here  again,  however,  the  Commission  employes  were 
able  to  aid  timber  owners  and  operators  greatly  by  obtaining  hands 
from  a distance,  until  finally  eight  different  timber  owners  were 
on  the  waiting  list  to  use  wood  cutters  who  had  been  imported 
through  our  efforts. 


56 


WORK  IN  OTHER  LOCALITIES. 

No  doubt  results  similar  to  those  mentioned  above  could  be  ob- 
tained in  the  same  way  in  other  localities.  Such  work  was  suc- 
cessful in  Lebanon  County,  to  the  extent  of  being  able  to  locate  ten 
different  portable  saw  mills  in  active  work  in  that  county  inside 
of  one  month. 

DETERIORATION  EXPERIMENTS. 

An  experiment,  probably  the  first  of  its  kind,  has  been  installed 
by  this  Commission  in  co-operation  with  the  United  States  Forest 
Service,  at  Mt.  Gretna,  Lebanon  County,  Pennsylvania,  to  deter- 
mine accurately  the  effect  of  the  chestnut  blight  on  the  quality  of 
chestnut  wood  products,  and  upon  the  durability  of  such  products. 
Chestnut  telephone  poles,  some  diseased  and  some  from  healthy 
wood,  have  been  set.  Thirty  standard  railroad  ties,  partly  dis- 
eased, and  partly  not,  were  placed  in  a siding  of  the  Cornwall  & 
Lebanon  Railroad.  A fence  was  made  with  mortised  posts  and 
rails,  some  of  them  from  diseased  trees,  and  others  from  healthy 
trees.  To  determine  the  direct  effect  of  blight  lesions  in  telephone 
poles,  cross  arms  were  placed  through  these  lesions;  also  some 
fence  posts  were  set  with  lesions  at  the  ground  line.  The  complete 
results  of  this  experiment  will  not  be  possible  for  several  years,  but 
it  was  expected  to  take  records  at  regular  intervals  each  year. 


CHESTNUT  EXTRACT  CHIPS  FOR  PAPER  PULP. 

Spent  extract  chips  from  blighted  chestnut  wood  which  had  been 
run  through  the  leaches  of  a tannin  extract  company,  were  sent  to 
the  IT.  S.  Forest  Products  Laboratory  at  Madison,  Wisconsin,  where 
experiments  are  being  carried  on  to  determine  whether  or  not  these 
chips  can  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  pulp. 


TESTS  IN  CO-OPERATION  WITH  MANUFACTURERS. 

In  connection  with  the  above  mentioned  experiment,  an  attempt 
has  been  made  to  make  similar  tests  in  a practical  way  through  co- 
operation with  manufacturers.  A small  shipment  of  yhestnut 
chips  was  made  to  a company  in  New  York  State,  to  test  its  value 
for  the  manufacture  of  plaster  board.  A similar  shipment  was 
made  to  a company  in  Ohio  which  manufacturers  special  machin- 
ery for  reducing  wood,  the  idea  being  to  test  these  chips  for  the 
production  of  paper  pulp. 


57 


BLIGHTED  WOOD  NOT  INJURED.  . 

Careful  studies  to  date  have  shown  decidedly  that  blighted  chest- 
nut is  injured  very  slightly,  if  at  all,  for  use  as  lumber.  The 
blight  lesions  extend  to  only  a fraction  of  an  inch  below  the  bark, 
and  even  this  portion  is  taken  off  in  the  slabs.  To  illustrate  this 
fact,  small  hand  samples  of  blighted  chestnut  in  board  shape,  have 
been  prepared  and  distributed  to  different  chestnut  users  through- 
out the  State. 

KINDLING  AND  FUEL  TESTS. 

There  has  always  been  considerable  prejudice  against  the  use  of 
chestnut  for  fuel,  and  investigations  have  shown  that  most  likely 
this  prejudice  is  to  a large  extent  unwarranted.  It  was  intended 
therefore,  at  the  time  of  closing  our  work,  to  make  practical  tests 
of  chestnut  for  kindling,  in  comparison  with  the  common  kindling 
"roods  now  in  the  market. 

MOVEMENT  OF  CORDWOOD. 

The  movement  of  cordwood  under  the  special  reduced  tariff  has 
made  an  excellent  beginning.  Several  hundred  cords  have  already 
been  shipped,  and  a number  of  parties  were  preparing  to  ship  large 
amounts  when  our  inspection  work  ceased.  The  discontinuance  of 
this  inspection  work  will  be  a financial  disadvantage  to  many  tim- 
ber owners,  who  were  expecting  to  take  advantage  of  the  special 
tariff,  unless  some  arrangement  can  be  made  to  continue  such  in- 
spection under  other  auspices. 

CO  OPERATION  WITH  THE  U.  S.  FOREST  SERVICE. 

A list  of  pole  and  tie  dealers  has  been  furnished  by  the  U.  S.  For- 
est Service.  This  list  is  being  combined  with  a corresponding  list 
of  wood-cutters  prepared  by  this  Commission,  the  whole  to  be 
made  out  in  duplicate,  which  will  be  of  great  use  for  future  work- 
ers in  utilization  in  this  State. 


DEMONSTRATION  WORK. 


The  demonstration  and  lecture  work  has  continued  in  charge  of 
Mr.  Keller  E.  Roc-key. 


5S 


LECTURES. 

The  subjects  of  lectures  include  every  matter  of  interest  concern- 
ing the  chestnut  blight.  At  intervals,  parties  engaged  in  other 
lines  of  operation  of  the  Commission  have  lectured  on  topics  relat- 
ing to  the  particular  work  they  were  doing.  The  most  of  the  lec- 
tures were  given  under  the  supervision  of  the  State  Farmers’  Insti- 
tute management.  The  lecturers  were  as  a rule,  supervisors  of  the 
territory  in  which  the  lecture  was  given,  and  were,  therefore,  fully 
able  to  give  the  audience  news  of  the  latest  local  developments, 
and  much  valuable  information. 

Besides  farmers’  institute  lectures,  addresses  were  made  at  sev- 
eral normal  schools,  before  county  fruit  growers’  associations,  at 
the  meeting  of  the  Northern  Nut  Growers’  Association,  and  also  at 
various  meetings  of  botanical  societies,  civic  clubs,  and  in  colleges 
and  schools. 

CHESTNUT  BLIGHT  EXHIBITS. 

Exhibits  of  specimens  and  illustrations  showing  in  various  ways 
the  operations  of  this  Commission  have  been  installed  in  the  Car- 
negie Museum,  at  Pittsburgh,  and  in  the  State  Museum,  in  Harris- 
burg. An  unusually  large  exhibit  has  been  started  for  the  Com- 
mercial Museum,  Philadelphia,  and  it  was  planned  to  make  an  ex- 
hibit at  the  Everhart  Museum,  at  Scranton.  An  excellent  display 
showing  the  work  of  the  Commission  was  made  in  connection  with 
the  State  Forestry  Exposition,  at  Horticultural  Hall.  Philadelphia, 
in  May.  Much  interest  was  shown  in  this  exhibit  by  people  from 
all  over  the  State.  Many  minor  exhibits  have  been  made  in  con- 
nection with  farmers’  meetings  at  various  places. 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  SPECIMENS. 

Several  hundred  small  boxes  of  specimens  of  disinfected  bark 
showing  the  chestnut  blight  were  sent  to  various  addresses  all 
over  the  State,  to  be  placed  on  exhibition  in  high  schools  and  other 
public  places.  Photographs  accompanied  this  material  to  add  to 
its  interest  and  practical  value. 

FIELD  DEMONSTRATION. 

Very  often  in  connection  with  the  lectures,  particularly  at  farm- 
ers’ institutes,  the  lecturers  demonstrated  the  actual  field  work  of 
the  Commission  in  neighboring  forest  tracts,  explaining  the  nature 
of  the  disease,  the  manner  of  removal,  sanitation,  and  methods  of 
tree  surgery. 


chestnut  orchard,  2d  years  old.  A spraying  experiment  is  being  conducted  with  these  trees. 


59 


CO-OPERATION  OF  THE  PRESS. 


Iu  connection  with  the  vast  amount  of  active  labor  performed 
in  field  work,  pathological  research  work,  chemical  and  insect  investi- 
gations, etc.,  in  the  effort  to  control  the  chestnut  tree  blight,  the  press 
of  Pennsylvania  proved  a most  valuable  ally  in  constantly  acquainting 
timber  owners  and  the  public  in  general  with  the  symptoms  and 
characteristics  of  this  comparatively  new,  but  extremely  destructive 
tree  pest. 

The  native  chestnut  tree  is  properly  regarded  as  the  best  forest 
tree  remaining  in  a large  quantity  iu  Pennsylvania.  The  presence 
of  the  deadly  chestnut  tree  bark  disease  throughout  eastern  and 
central  Pennsylvania  counties,  and  the  actual  and  immediate  neces- 
sity for  a concerted  and  active  warfare  against  this  parasitic  disease 
in  order  to  prevent  the  threatened  total  extermination  of  the  chestnut 
tree  in  the  Keystone  State,  naturally  awakened  the  editorial  fra- 
ternity and  other  advocates  of  forest  conservation  to  the  great  im- 
portance of  aiding  in  the  fight  to  control  and  eradicate  the  dis- 
ease. 

It  is  admitted  by  scientific  authorities  that  had  the  necessary  work 
towards  stamping  out  the  blight  been  inaugurated  by  other  states 
at  the  proper  period,  Pennsylvania’s  extraordinai  ily  heavy  loss  could 
have  been  confined  to  a minimum.  It  is  believed  however,  that  the 
Commonwealth  has  already  sustained  a loss  through  the  partial 
destruction  of  chestnut,  aggregating  a total  of  $70,000,000,  of  which 
enormous  amount  Eastern  Pennsylvania  timber  owners  suffered  the 
heaviest  burden.  The  probervial  “ounce  of  prevention”  was  sadly 
ignored,  and  hence,  the  deplorable  conditions  that  rapidly  followed 
this  costly  neglect  of  duty.  Although  the  Keystone  State  has  ceased 
its  activities  in  its  efforts  to  save  this  invaluable  species  of  trees 
from  destruction,  the  National  Department  of  Agriculture  and  a 
dozen  other  states  are  continuing  the  work  with  renewed  energy,  con- 
fidently believing  that  the  interests  of  timber  owners  and  the  qmblic 
in  general  deserved  such  recognition  and  protection.  Many  tax- 
payers who  were  compelled  to  wage  warfare  against  the  spread  of 
the  blight  at  their  personal  expense  report  gratifying  results,  thus 
again  demonstrating  that  by  prompt  action  and  thorough  work, 
the  parasite  might  have  been  controlled  and  these  extraordinary 
heavy  financial  losses  averted. 


60 


Oliver  D.  Schock,  Assistant  Superintendent,  was  in  charge  of  this 
important  publicity  department.  Grateful  acknowledgments  are  due 
to  the  newspaper  editors  for  their  continued  and  liberal  co-operation. 
It  is  equally  gratifying  to  know  that  there  was  but  little,  if  any 
unfavorable  criticism  by  the  press  of  the  entire  State  of  the  methods 
pursued  by  the  Commission  in  combating  the  blight. 


i 


Report  of 

Samuel  B.  Detwiler 

General  Superintendent  Pennsylvania  Chestnut 
Tree  Blight  Commission 


(61) 


/ 


sswS 


(62) 


OBSERVATIONS  ON  SANITATION  CUTTING  IN 
CONTROLLING  THE  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT 
IN  PENNSYLVANIA. 


By  SAMUEL  B.  DETWILER, 

GENERAL  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  THE  PENNSYLVANIA  CHESTNUT 
TREE  BLIGHT  COMMISSION. 


INTRODUCTION. 

In  view  of  the  continued  rapid  spread  of  the  chestnut  blight,  and 
the  great  damage  sustained  through  this  relentless  parasite,  it  is 
important  at  the  present  time  to  have  more  complete  information 
on  the  possibility  of  controlling  its  spread.  It  is  now  an  estab- 
lished fact  that  the  disease  exists  in  China,  and  that  it  was  probably 
introduced  into  America  from  the  Orient.  This  disposes  of  the 
theory  that  the  blight  is  caused  by  a native  fungus,  originally  a 
saprophyte  or  weak  parasite,  which  gained  vigor,  or  appeared  to 
gain  vigor  because  of  the  decadence  of  the  native  chestnut  trees 
from  the  effects  of  drouth  and  winter  injury.  It  is  evident  that 
it  would  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  control  a native  fungus  of 
wide  dissemination,  with  predisposing  factors  in  its  favor.  But 
even  the  most  severe  critics  have  acknowledged  that  foreign  origin 
of  the  parasite  affords  “at  least  some  basis  for  the  fight  for  con- 
trol.”* 


HOW  THE  BLIGHT  SPREADS. 

The  pathological  investigations  of  the  Commission  have  shown 
that  wind,  water  (rain),  and  birds  are  the  principal  agencies  in  dis- 
seminating the  blight.  A single  spore  thread  may  produce  from 
100,000,000  to  200,000,000  pycnospores,  and  even  a small  canker 
produces  dozens  of  spore  threads  in  a season.  A single  perithecium 
has  been  observed  to  eject  ascospores  almost  continuously  for  a 
period  of  26  days,  at  the  rate  of  4.7  spores  per  second.  Insects  as- 
sist by  making  wounds  through  which  the  spores  of  the  fungus  en- 
ter the  bark,  and  also,  to  some  extent,  by  distributing  the  spores 
locally.  The  ejection  of  ascospores  into  the  air  following  rain,  and 
the  washing  of  pycnospores  down  the  trunks  and  into  the  soil  dur- 
ing rain,  appear  to  be  the  principal  agencies  in  spreading  the  dis- 
ease. Birds  have  been  proved  to  carry  spores  in  great  numbers, 
and  undoubtedly  are  responsible  for  a certain  proportion  of  infec- 
tions, at  least,  of  advance  infections. 


‘Clinton,  G.  P.  Science  36:  pp.  907-914,  Dec.  27,  1912. 


5 


(63) 


64 


The  planting  of  diseased  nursery  stock  in  regions  free  from  the 
blight  appears  to  be  one  of  the  principal  agencies  in  spreading  the 
disease  to  great  distances.  The  disease  was  probably  introduced  into 
this  country  on  nursery  stock,  and  in  the  early  years,  nursery  stock 
apparently  played  the  most  important  role  in  getting  the  disease 
quickly  and  firmly  established.  This  point  is  well  illustrated  by  a 
shipment  of  three  chestnut  trees  sent  from  a New  Jersey  nursery 
into  Western  Pennsylvania  in  1912.  Through  a misunderstanding, 
these  trees  were  not  held  at  the  State  line  for  inspection,  but  were 
carried  direct  to  their  destination.  When  the  inspection  was  made, 
the  disease  was  found  at  two  places  on  one  of  the  trees,  although  the 
nurserymen  claimed  to  have  carefully  examined  the  trees  before 
shipment.  At  Warren,  Warren  county,  Pennsylvania,  11  out  of  a 
shipment  of  12  nursery  trees  purchased  in  1910  were  found  affected 
with  the  blight  in  1912.  In  Elk  County,  34  diseased  nursery  trees 
were  found  in  a young  chestnut  orchard,  and  the  disease  had  already 
reached  adjoining  native  chestnut  trees.  In  Somerset  County,  there 
is  evidence  to  support  the  belief  that  an  infected  area  covering 
about  one-third  of  the  county  spread  originally  from  diseased  scions 
grafted  on  native  trees.  There  are  many  similar  occurrences  out- 
side of  Pennsylvania. 

All  observers  have  noted  that  the  blight  advances  by  attacking 
widely  separated  trees  far  ahead  of  the  generally  infected  territory. 
In  Pennsylvania,  the  main  spread  of  the  blight  has  been  from  the 
southeastern  corner  of  the  State.  During  rains  and  immediately 
following,  when  the  spores  are  being  ejected,  the  wind  is  usually 
from  the  south  or  east,  thus  tending  to  carry  the  spores  north  and 
west.  At  least,  it  is  a matter  of  common  observation  that  the  south- 
ern and  eastern  edges  of  woodlots  very  frequently  show  the  first 
infections. 

In  order  to  learn  more  about  the  spread  of  the  blight,  two  areas 
in  the  region  of  general  infection,  one  in  the  Mahoning  Valley  in 
Carbon  County,  and  the  other  in  the  vicinity  of  Topton  Mountain, 
in  Berks  county,  were  studied  in  the  spring  of  1913  by  Mr.  J.  Wesley 
Sitler,  a field  agent  of  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission. 

STUDY  OF  BLIGHT  CONDITIONS  IN  THE  MAHONING 

VALLEY. 

In  the  Mahoning  Valley,  all  timber  tracts  on  an  area  about 
7 miles  square  were  mapped  on  a large  scale  topographic  sheet,  (Fig. 
1).  In  round  numbers  this  investigation  covered  about  50  square 
miles  of  land  which  varied  widely  as  to  elevation  and  geological 
formation.  Spot  infections  of  blight  were  accurately  located  on 


Sketch  map  showing  blight  centers  and  percentage  of  infection  in  a portion  of  the  Mahoning  Valley,  Carbon  and  Schuylkill  Counties,  Pennsylvania. 

By  J.  Wesley  Sitler, 

June,  1913. 





65 


the  map,  and  each  spot  was  studied  in  detail  as  to  the  percentage 
of  surrounding  infection,  slope,  exposure,  soil,  character  of  the 
stand  of  timber,  and  surface  features.  Originally  chestnut  oak  and 
yellow  pine  occupied  the  steeper  upper  slopes,  while  the  more  gen- 
tle and  fertile  lower  slopes  were  covered  with  a stand  consisting 
of  50  to  70  per  cent,  chestnut,  with  a mixture  of  red  oak,  maple,  and 
white  pine.  Very  little  chestnut  grew  in  the  valleys  where  the 
forest  consisted  of  heavy  stands  of  white  oak,  white  pine,  red  oak. 
and  maple.  All  of  the  flat  bottom  land  and  much  of  that  along  the 
lower  slopes  has  been  cleared  for  farming,  so  that  part  of  the  area 
studied  consisted  of  woodlots  with  trees  varying  in  size  from  small 
coppice  to  20  inches  in  diameter.  The  area  is  traversed  by  several 
ridges  extending  northeast  and  southwest,  and  the  poor  rocky  soil 
of  these  ridges,  particularly  north  of  the  Mahoning  Valley,  is  cov- 
ered with  young  coppice  of  oak  and  chestnut,  or  with  scrub  oak 
brush.  Forest  fires  frequently  burn  over  the  ridges  and  the  young 
growth  is  therefore  in  poor  condition. 

At  present  no  tract  can  be  found  on  the  area  studied  that  is  en- 
tirely free  from  blight,  but  the  chestnut  trees  south  of  Mahoning 
Valley  are  diseased  more  than  the  stand  north  of  the  valley.  The 
southern  slopes  of  the  ridges,  also  the  south  and  east  portions  of 
exposed  woodlots,  are  more  seriously  infected  than  the  northern 
exposures.  There  are  thousands  of  cicada  wounds  in  twigs  of  all 
species  growing  in  these  woods.  These  wounds  were  made  during 
the  invasion  of  1911.  It  is  very  common  on  chestnut  to  find  such 
wounds  infected,  and  the  cicada  has  thus  undoubtedly  aided  in 
the  general  distribution  of  the  blight  throughout  this  region. 

Every  tract  of  chestnut  timber  showing  the  presence  of  blight, 
when  carefully  examined,  shows  that  the  disease  appears  in  spots. 
By  careful  observation,  the  source  of  infection  for  the  entire  spot 
can  be  traced  to  one  or  more  badly  infected  trees  which  evidently 
bore  the  original  infection  of  that  particular  area.  Such  a tree 
or  group  of  trees  is  commonly  referred  to  as  an  infection  center,  be- 
cause from  such  centers  the  disease  advances  in  all  directions.  The 
age  of  these  centers  can  be  determined  quite  accurately  from  the 
appearance  of  the  original  infection,  by  the  concentric  rings  of 
cankers  and  by  the  age  of  water  sprouts  and  shoots  at  base  of  cank- 
ers. Generally,  the  older  the  infection,  the  further  it  has  spread 
from  the  center. 

Many  of  these  infection  centers  have  been  carefully  worked  over, 
but  nothing  definite  can  be  said  as  to  characteristic  elevation,  soil 
conditions,  exposure,  or  character  of  woods.  Probably  90  per  cent, 
of  these  centers  are  found  in  the  shallow  depressions  at  the  heads 
of  gullies;  or,  where  a ridge  slope  forms  a terrace-like  flat.  How- 


66 


ever,  it  is  evident  from  a large  number  of  observations,  that  such 
centers  develop  under  any  surface  conditions  favorable  to  the  growth 
of  chestnut.  They  are  found  on  well  drained  gravel  slopes,  dry 
knolls,  steep  rock  slopes,  and  in  low  fertile  flats. 

The  spread  of  the  blight  seems  more  rapid  in  young  coppice 
growth  of  nearly  pure  chestnut,  than  in  a chestnut  stand  of  large 
trees.  Tn  old  stands  the  percentage  of  infected  trees  decreases 
abruptly  from  the  infection  center  outward.  Often,  a distance  of 
twenty  rods  will  take  one  from  an  area  of  40-50  per  cent,  infec- 
tion to  a zone  of  one-fourth  per  cent,  and  beyond  that  no  infection 
may  be  found.  Tn  coppice  growth  the  decrease  is  more  gradual  and 
a zone  showing  less  than  8-10  per  cent,  infection  can  seldom  be 
found  on  a tract  with  an  infection  center.  The  abundance  of  bast 
miner  galleries  in  the  bark  of  young  smooth-barked  chestnuts  prob- 
ably explains  the  wide  and  even  distribution  of  the  blight  in  such 
stands. 

The  importance  of  wind  as  an  agent  in  disseminating  blight  can- 
not be  positively  stated,  but  from  observations  made  in  this  locality 
there  seems  more  evidence  favoring  wind  distribution  than  any 
other  factor.  The  result  of  a large  number  of  comparative  observa- 
tions  show  that: — 

1.  A large  number  of  infections  are  in  wounds  made  by  cicadas 
and  are  usually  uniformly  distributed  around  a blight  center. 

2.  New  infections  are  generally  scattered  through  areas  of  young 
shoots  growing  up  after  fire. 

3.  Freshly  cut  stumps  with  their  new  sprouts  show  a high  per 
cent,  of  infection  even  where  the  surrounding  woodland  is  little 
affected. 

4.  Trees  standing  in  exposed  places,  such  as  isolated  trees  in 
fields,  and  trees  along  southern  edges  of  timber  tracts,  show  a high 
per  cent,  of  infection. 

Very  little  can  be  said  about  birds  as  carriers  of  blight.  Numer- 
ous scattered  spots  of  infection  show  signs  of  having  been  started 
by  bird  distribution.  However,  the  observations  gave  little 
reliable  evidence  on  this  point.  Many  spots  have  a large,  dead- 
lopped  tree  standing  near  the  center.  Often  these  trees  have  been 
infected  on  the  lower  branches,  longer  than  any  of  the  surrounding 
trees.  The  dead,  snaggy  tops  show  no  evidence  of  death  from 
blight.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  birds  were  attracted  by  the 
open  snag  and  carried  the  spores  which  later  started  the  infec- 
tions in  the  lower  branches. 

This  locality  furnishes  numerous  opportunities  for  comparing 
the  percentage  of  infected  trees  on  the  north  and  south  slopes.  The 
stand  of  chestnut  is  similar  on  the  two  slopes.  The  results  of  de- 
tailed examinations  show  that  there  is  more  blight  on  the  south 


67 


slopes.  Also,  many  of  the  woodlots  show  a higher  per  cent,  of  infec- 
tion on  the  southern  borders.  To  strengthen  these  observations 
several  miles  of  the  Blue  Bidge,  (lying  north  of  the  Mahoning  Val- 
ley, and  not  included  in  the  area  studied),  were  also  worked  over, 
(Fig.  2. ) This  ridge  is  higher  than  any  other  within  the  limits  of  area 
studied,  and  shows  the  typical  high  percentage  of  blight  on  the 
south  slopes,  up  to  the  summit.  Immediately  across  the  summit, 
northward,  the  number  of  blighted  trees  decreases.  However,  at  the 
base  of  the  north  slope  in  almost  pure  chestnut,  it  increases  but  does 
not  average  more  than  60  per  cent,  of  the  amount  of  infection  at 
the  base  along  the  south  side.  There  is  a general  decrease  in  the 
amount  of  infection  on  each  successive  ridge  to  the  north. 

There  are  distinct  differences  in  the  moisture  conditions  in  this 
region.  The  stream  valleys  often  have  a clay  loam  soil  too  heavy 
and  moist  to  support  chestnut.  We  find  all  variations  in  soil  and 
moisture  from  these  valleys  to  the  dry,  rugged  ridges  where  chest- 
nut oak  and  scrub  oak  form  most  of  the  stand.  The  amount  of  in- 
fection apparently  does  not  depend  on  soil  moisture,  as  is  shown  by 
the  percentages  on  the  infection  map.  Tracts  lying  in  the  valleys 
show  similar  percentages  of  infection  to  those  on  higher  ground. 
The  theory  that  chestnut  trees  growing  on  or  near  limestone  soils 
are  resistant  to  blight  is  not  supported  by  these  observations.  A 
belt  of  limestone  borders  Lizard  Creek  Valley  on  the  south,  and  the 
per  cent,  of  infection  is  as  high  in  that  region  as  elsewhere.  In- 
fection centers  have  been  found  near  limestone  quarries,  where  the 
roots  of  the  chestnut  penetrated  to  bed  rock. 


INFECTION  POINTERS. 

1.  Each  successive  ridge  shows  a decrease  in  the  number  of  old 
infections,  from  the  Blue  Ridge  northward. 

2.  There  is  more  blight  along  the  south  slopes  than  on  the  ad- 
jacent north  slopes. 

3.  Recently  cut  stumps  with  their  sprouts  show  a high  per  cent, 
of  infection  even  where  adjacent  tracts  are  clear  of  blight. 

4.  Centers  of  infection  are  found  under  all  conditions.  Slope, 
exposure,  drainage,  rock  formation,  and  fertility  of  the  soil  seem 
to  have  no  relation  to  origin  of  infections. 

5.  A large  number  of  infections  one  and  two  years  old  began  in 
wounds  made  by  cicadas  in  1911. 

G.  Wind  appears  to  be  the  most  important  factor  in  the  dis- 
semination of  the  blight.  Birds  may  be  factors  as  carriers  of  the 
original  infecting  spores-,  but  cannot  be  blamed  for  the  local  dis- 
tribution of  the  blight  around  an  infection  center.  This  distribu- 


68 

tion  is  very  uniform,  which  presumably  would  not  he  the  case  had 
birds  been  the  principal  carriers  of  the  disease.  In  young  cop- 
pice growth  much  wounded  by  cicadas,  the  wounds  on  the  twigs  are 
the  chief  points  of  entrance  for  the  disease.  Results  of  accurate 
counting  show  that  on  certain  tracts  80  to  90  per  cent,  of  new  in- 
fections began  in  such  wounds  made  by  the  17-year  cicadas  during 
their  invasion  of  1911.  Many  new  infections  are  at  and  near  the 
bases  of  young  sprouts,  and  there  is  little  cause  to  believe  that  these 
were  due  to  birds,  since  they  are  usually  about  the  same  age  and 
at  points  that  birds  are  not  likely  t<  frequent.  Also,  this  condi- 
tion exists  on  exposed  north  slopes  little  visited  by  birds.  The 
most  plausible  explanation  seems  to  lie  in  the  hypothesis  of  wind 
dissemination.  This  explains  the  numerous  infections  starting  in 
cicada  stings;  also  the  rapid  spread  over  a tract  of  young  sprouts; 
the  common  occurrence  of  new  infections  on  trees  standing  alone, 
in  exposed  places.  The  greater  quantity  of  infection  on  south 
slopes  appears  to  le  due  to  the  fact  that  the  prevailing  winds  are 
southerly  and  easterly  during  the  periods  when  ascospores  are  ex- 
truded in  greatest  numbers. 


STUDY  OF  BLIGHT  CONDITIONS  ON  TOPTON  MOUNTAIN, 

BERKS  COUNTY. 

The  highest  point  of  this  mountain  rises  about  COO  feet  above 
the  base,  the  summit  being  1,230  feet  above  sea  level.  The  long 
axis  of  the  ridge  runs  about  15  degrees  north  of  east,  the  east  end 
of  the  ridge  terminating  abruptly.  The  area  studied  comprises 
about  2,000  acres,  about  600  of  which  are  cleared,  and  the  balance 
bears  a dense  stand  of  timber  which  is  mainly  coppice  growth  be- 
tween 10  and  25  years  old.  On  the  summit,  and  the  upper  and 
middle  slopes,  chestnut  is  the  predominating  species,  forming  80 
to  90  per  cent,  of  the  stand.  Below  this  is  a zone  in  which  chestnut 
and  chestnut  oak  constitute  the  stand  in  about  equal  proportions. 
At  the  base  of  the  mountain  there  is  a narrow,  irregular  belt  of 
tulip,  butternut,  red  oak,  and  ash,  with  a very  low  per  cent,  of 
chestnut. 

Strips  four  rods  wide  were  run  north  and  south  across  the  moun- 
tain, and  also  in  au  east  and  west  direction  over  the  top  and  along 
the  sides.  Observations  were  made  of  all  the  chestnut  trees  on 
each  strip  acre.  In  this  way  the  tract  was  gridironed,  and  a fairly 
comprehensive  idea  obtained  of  the  relative  amount  of  blight  in 
the  various  portions  of  it.  (Fig.  3). 

The  infection  nowhere  runs  less  than  3 per  cent.,  and  it  was  im- 
possible to  find  an  acre  with  less  than  this  amount  of  blight  on  it. 


blight  center.  upper  figure  is  per  cent,  of  infection  on  an  area  within  50  feet  radius  or  more  of  the  center. 


Sketch  map  of  Topton  Mountain,  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania,  giving  a comparison  of  percentages  or  blighted 


69 


On  most  of  the  ridge  the  percentage  of  diseased  chestnut  runs 
from  17  to  30  per  cent.,  although  there  are  spots  where  it  is  much 
higher.  The  centers  of  infection  are  not  confined  to  any  character- 
istic slope  or  environment.  Generally,  the  blight  has  spread  over 
larger  areas  on  the  summit  and  south  slope  than  on  the  north 
slope.  The  centers  along  the  south  slope  and  summit  show  more 
trees  killed  by  the  blight  than  those  of  any  other  part  of  the  moun- 
tain. This  is  doubtless  due  to  a more  rapid  spread  of  the  blight 
in  these  situations.  Scattered  dead  trees  are  less  common  along 
the  north  slope  than  elsewhere;  however,  several  centers  contain 
ing  a dozen  or  more  large  trees  entirely  killed  are  found  on  the 
north  slope. 

The  blight  is  so  uniformly  distributed  between  the  centers  that 
it  was  difficult  to  determine  the  facts  relative  to  the  dissemination 
of  the  disease  by  wind.  However,  most  of  the  infected  areas  show 
a wider  zone  of  distribution  east  and  north  of  the  infection  center, 
giving  the  areas  of  thick  infection  an  egg-sliaped  outline,  with  the 
oldest  infections  nearest  to  the  western  boundary.  No  definite  in- 
formation was  obtained  on  this  tract  concerning  the  part  played  by 
birds  as  disseminators  of  the  disease. 

The  south  slope  of  the  ridge  is  more  dry  and  barren  than  the 
north  slope.  The  only  springs  found  there  are  near  the  eastern  end 
of  the  ridge,  and  a few  small  springs  are  scattered  along  the  lower 
portions  of  the  south  slope,  but  these  are  below  the  zone  of  chest- 
nut growth.  The  north  slope  is  a more  gradual  incline,  and  there 
are  numerous  shallow  dips  resembling  miniature  gullies.  Some  of 
these  are  moist  enough  to  support  alder  bushes  and  several  species 
of  moisture  loving  ferns;  also  trees  of  the  lowland  types,  such  as 
tulip  and  maple,  are  quite  common  in  these  depressions.  Most  of 
these  dips  contain  springs,  but  not  all  of  them;  however,  there  are 
numerous  small  springs  scattered  all  along  the  north  slope  of  the 
ridge.  Most  of  these  are  well  down  toward  the  base,  but  several 
are  well  up  toward  the  summit.  So  far  as  could  be  ascertained, 
no  relation  exists  between  the  thickly  infected  areas  and  moisture 
conditions. 

The  data  collected  lead  to  the  belief  that  the  infection  is  dis- 
tributed without  any  regard  to  elevation.  For  instance,  along  the 
base  of  tbe  north  slope  high  percentages  of  infection  are  found. 
Similarly,  an  increase  in  the  percentage  of  blight  is  found  half-way 
toward  the  summit.  While  the  summit  seems  to  support  more  in- 
fection than  any  other  portion  of  the  mountain,  there  is  no  reason 
to  suppose  that  this  is  due  to  elevation.  The  stand  here  is  almost 
pure  young  chestnut  coppice,  and  the  conditions  appear  to  be  more 
favorable  to  the  rapid  spread  of  the  disease  in  such  stands.  The 


70 


base  of  the  south  slope  supports  coppice  growth  similar  to  that 
found  at  the  summit,  and  here  the  per  cent,  of  infection  compares 
very  closely  with  that  along  the  summit. 

RESULT  OF  OBSERVATIONS. 

No  definite  cause  for  the  areas  of  high  and  low  per  cent,  of  in- 
fection was  determined.  The  highest  percentages  of  infection  are 
found  on  the  summit  and  on  the  south  slope  of  the  ridge.  Also  : 
this  portion  of  the  area  supports  more  old  infection  than  any  other 
part  of  the  mountain.  In  part,  this  may  be  due  to  the  higher  per-  i 
centage  of  chestnut  on  the  summit  and  south  slope,  and  to  the 
fact  that  most  of  it  is  young  coppice.  Such  stands  appear  very  ; 
susceptible  to  the  disease.  The  theory  that  varying  chemical  ele- 
ments, derived  from  the  rock  strata,  affect  the  amount  of  infection 
is  not  supported  by  any  evidence  gathered  in  this  work,  for  on  the 
three  general  rock  formations  of  this  tract,  as  well  as  along  the 
edge  of  the  adjacent  limestone,  high  and  low  per  cents,  of  infection 
seem  equally  common.  No  evidence  sheds  any  light  upon  the  be- 
lief that  the  distribution  of  disease  is  along  any  definite  compass 
direction.  If  there  is  any  proof  at  all  toward  this  end,  it  lies  in  the 
fact  that  infections  on  the  south  are  more  uniformly  distributed 
than  on  the  north.  It  is  probably  true  that  the  advance  infections 
came  from  the  south  and  crossed  the  mountain  northward,  but  areas 
of  thick  infection  are  not  confined  to  any  character  of  topography, 
slope,  or  elevation. 

The  accompanying  maps  give  in  detail  the  percentages  of  blight 
found  in  the  Mahoning  Valley  and  Topton  Mountain  areas. 


RATE  OF  INCREASE  OF  BLIGHT  IN  EASTERN  PENNSYL- 
VANIA. 

The  southeastern  corner  of  the  State  has  a higher  percentage  of 
infection  than  any  other  portion  of  the  State.  The  rapid  increase  of 
the  blight  is  well  shown  in  this  section  by  the  record  of  1,637  trees  on 
tracts  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  which  were  examined  for 
blight  in  October  and  November,  1010,  December,  1912,  and  Au- 
gust, 1913.  In  1910,  31  per  cent,  of  these  trees  were  infected  with 
the  blight,  and  29  per  cent,  were  doubtful.  In  1912,  79  per  cent, 
were  infected,  and  in  1913,  SS  per  cent.  If  we  include  the  29  per 
cent,  doubtful  trees  with  the  31  per  cent,  certainly  infected  in  1910. 
the  total  becomes  60  per  cent.  This  makes  the  annual  increase  in 
infection  approximate  10  per  cent,  per  annum.  In  this  connection 
it  is  interesting  to  note  that  on  the  du  Pont  estate  at  Kennett 


r" 

*— •* 


71 


Square,  Pa.,  where  tree  surgery  methods,  supplemented  by  spray- 
ing with  Bordeaux  mixture,  have  been  in  use  for  the  past  two  years, 
the  progress  of  the  blight  has  been  materially  delayed.  Mr.  R.  E. 
Wheeler,  forester  for  the  estate,  believes  that  these  methods  will' 
save  the  trees  under  treatment  for  at  least  five  years  more,  and 
probably  for  a much  longer  time. 

Tree  surgery  without  spraying  has  had  little  effect  in  delaying 
the  progress  of  the  blight  after  it  attacks  a tree.  In  a large  orchard 
of  Paragon  chestnuts,  in  Northumberland  County,  in  a block  of 
9,612  trees,  4 to  15  years  old,  thoroughly  examined  in  the  winter  of 
1911-12,  194  infected  trees  were  found,  (2  per  cent,  infection),  103  of 
which  were  so  badly  diseased  that  they  were  cut  out  aud  burned,  and 
91  trees  were  treated  by  surgical  methods.  In  the  winter  of  1912-1913, 
this  same  block  was  again  carefully  gone  over,  and  1,064  infected 
trees  were  found,  (11.2  per  cent,  infection),  325  of  which  were 
marked  for  removal,  and  the  balance  for  surgical  treatment.  The 
rate  of  increase  in  this  case  was  over  500  per  cent. 


INFECTION  CENTERS  ON  THE  ADVANCE  LINE. 

In  applying  sanitation  measures  for  the  control  of  the  blight,  it 
is  not  practicable  to  use  tree  surgery  methods  and  spraying,  (ex- 
cept possibly  in  orchards),  but  only  to  cut  out  bodily  every  infected 
tree  and  to  sterilize  the  stumps.  When  the  blight  is  generally  dis- 
tributed through  a region,  as  is  the  case  in  southeastern  Pennsyl- 
vania, it  is  manifestly  impossible  to  eradicate  the  disease  by  sani- 
tation methods  without  also  practically  eradicating  the  host.  A 
detailed  study  of  spot  infections  as  they  occur  on  the  western  ad- 
vance line  of  the  disease  is  therefore  of  more  interest  than  the  con- 
ditions which  exist  in  the  generally  infected  territory. 

On  the  advance  line,  as  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  there  is 
no  rule  for  the  location  of  an  infection  center,  nor  is  there  any 
rule  as  to  the  part  of  the  tree  which  is  attacked  first  by  the  dis- 
ease. It  is  true,  however,  that  on  the  western  advance  line  more 
infections  occur  on  isolated  trees  and  on  the  edges  of  timber  tracts 
than  elsewhere,  and  that  the  majority  of  infections  first  appear  in 
the  tops  of  trees.  Likewise,  in  its  spread  from  tree  to  tree  around 
a center,  the  blight  shows  no  general  rule,  except  that  the  trees  im- 
mediately adjoining  a primary  infected  tree  are  most  apt  to  show 
the  first  secondary  infection.  The  following  tabulation  gives  the 
details  of  175  infected  trees  in  a spot  infection  of  271  trees,  lo- 
cated at  Orbisonia,  Huntingdon  County,  Pennsylvania,  studied  in 
1911  by  Mr.  R.  C.  Walton. 


72 


TABLE  I. 

DETAILS  OF  INFECTION  AT 


ORBISONIA,  PA. 


Number. 


Origin  of  tree, 


Coppice 136 

Seedling,  39 


Slope, 


Gentle  to  medium  steep, 

Gentle  to  steep,  

Gentle 

Steep,  

Very  steep 

Medium  steep,  


o 

24 

6 

79 

0 

61 


Aspect, 


North 108 

Northeast,  16 

Northwest,  ! 41 

North  to  northwest,  7 

North  to  northeast 3 


Location, 


Moisture, 


Lower  slope 

Middle  slope 

Along  road,  

Near  road 

Away  from  road, 


23 

152 

76 

28 

71 


Dry 

Lamp 

Dry  to  damp. 
Medium  dry.  . 
Medium  damp, 
Windy,  dry,  . 


28 

37 

61 

13 

20 

8 


Density  of  forest, 


Dense,  

Medium  dense, 
Rather  open,  . 


Infection  on  benches, 


Orientation  of  lesions, 


North,  

East,  

South 

West,  

Northeast, 

Southeast, 

Northwest. 

Southwest, 


36 


S4 

29 

14 

21 

29 

10 

9 

5 


Blight  Infected  District  at  Orbisonia,  Huntingdon  County,  Pa. 


73 


The  most  important  practical  point  in  the  study  of  spot  infec- 
tions, however,  is  the  location  of  the  secondary  diseased  trees  with 
reference  to  the  original  center  of  infection.  Where  a careful  study 
has  been  made,  it  has  always  been  apparent  that  the  disease  spreads 
from  an  original  center  of  one  or  two  trees  to  trees  in  the  immediate 
vicinity,  as  illustrated  in  the  accompanying  diagram,  which  is  an 
example  of  a typical  small  spot  infection,  (Fig.  4). 


PROCEDURE  IN  ERADICATING  SPOT  INFEC- 
TIONS. 


SCOUTING. 

The  principal  obstacle  met  in  applying  sanitation  methods  for 
the  control  of  the  chestnut  blight  is  the  high  cost  of  locating  spot 
infections.  The  cause  of  this  lies  in  the  great  extent  of  territory 
which  must  be  covered,  and  difficulty  in  securing  competent  and 
reliable  scouts  at  reasonable  salaries.  Experience  has  proved,  how- 
ever, that  thorough  scouting  can  be  done  at  a moderate  cost  under 
efficient  supervision.  Rapidity  and  efficiency  in  scouting  vary  with 
the  size  and  density  of  the  stand,  the  proportion  of  chestnut,  the 
topography  and  location  of  the  tract,  and  the  prevalence  of  blight. 
The  records  of  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission  show  that 
between  October  3 and  June  30,  1913,  it  required  11,651  days  of 
labor  to  scout  738,881  acres  of  timber,  uotify  timber  owners  of  in- 
fections found,  and  supervise  the  work  of  removal.  This  is  at  the 
rate  of  63.41  acres  per  man  per  day,  with  the  average  of  2.07  in- 
fections found,  and  1.49  infections  removed  per  man  per  day.  The 
average  day,  (not  including  time  consumed  in  going  to  and  re- 
turning from  work),  consisted  of  8.2  hours  spent  in  the  field,  .4 
hour  lost  on  account  of  rain,  and  .4  hour  lost  on  account  of  sickness 
and  leave.  With  thoroughly  experienced  and  practical  men  under 
competent  crew  leaders,  an  average  of  100  acres  or  more  per  day 
can  be  covered,  unless  the  spot  infections  are  very  large  and  numer- 
ous. In  thick  infection,  one  man  can  make  thorough  tree  to  tree 
examinations  of  from  2 to  5 acres,  depending  on  the  character  of 
the  timber.  However,  on  the  basis  of  past  experience,  it  appears  to 
be  more  practical  and  economical  to  locate  the  boundaries  of  the 
spot  infection,  and  eliminate  all  of  the  chestnut  trees  within  and 
immediately  adjoining  the  spot  infection,  instead  of  eradicating 


74 


only  the  diseased  trees.  This  plan  reduces  the  amount  of  tree  to 
tree  inspection  required,  and  one  man  should  be  able  to  scout  at 
least  50  acres  per  day,  even  when  spot  infections  are  numerous.  It 
has  been  found  that  a crew  of  two  or  more  men  can  accomplish 
more  and  obtain  better  results  than  in  the  case  of  men  scouting 
alone,  except  in  a country  where  the  woodlots  are  very  small  and 
scattered. 

In  scouting,  rapid  and  thorough  work  depends  upon  the  experi- 
ence and  capability  of  the  crew  leader.  The  size  of  the  crew  de- 
pends on  the  character  of  the  timber  to  be  scouted  and  the  ability 
of  the  crew  leader  to  handle  men.  Except  in  a very  heavily  tim- 
bered area,  three  men  constituting  a crew  will  usually  accomplish 
more  than  a larger  crew.  There  is  an  added  advantage  in  a small 
crew  in  that  two  or  three  men  can  find  accommodations  near  to 
their  work  where  a larger  number  of  men  cannot,  and  must  conse- 
quently spend  more  time  on  the  road  to  and  from  work.  In  large 
tracts  of  woodland,  the  best  plan  is  to  establish  a camp  as  head- 
quarters for  several  crews.  A camp  is  too  expensive  for  a small 
crew,  but  for  a number  of  men  it  is  economical,  and  has  the  ad- 
vantage of  keeping  the  men  close  to  their  work. 

The  tracts  must  be  scouted  systematically.  The  best  plan  is  to 
go  back  and  forth  parallel  to  the  backbone  of  the  ridges,  each  man 
inspecting  a strip  50  to  100  feet  wide.  In  large  bodies  of  timber 
four  or  five  men  can  work  together  advantageously,  each  man  being 
separated  by  the  distance  best  adapted  to  viewing  all  the  trees  in 
the  strip  between  himself  and  the  men  on  either  side  of  him.  The 
man  on  the  outside  marks  the  edge  of  the  strip  either  by  breaking 
branches  on  the  underbrush  of  species  other  than  chestnut,  or  by 
marking  tree  trunks  with  yellow  lumber  crayon.  Unless  eradicated 
as  found,  diseased  trees  are  located  by  pacing  to  the  strip  boundary 
at  right  angles  and  marking  a tree  on  the  line  with  crayon  to  indi- 
cate the  location  of  the  diseased  tree.  If  a cutting-out  crew  closely 
follows  the  scouting  crew,  there  is  less  waste  of  time  and  effort 
than  where  the  scouting  crew  attempts  to  eradicate  the  infections 
as  found,  unless  infections  are  very  few  and  limited  to  single  trees. 
With  the  cutting-out  crew  following  the  scouting  crew,  there  is  the 
additional  advantage  that  they  may  locate  diseased  trees  missed 
by  the  first  crew. 

The  greatest  aid  to  efficient  scouting  is  a pair  of  good  field  glasses. 
They  often  make  it  unnecessary  to  climb  doubtful  frees,  and  are  of 
further  usefulness  in  the  hands  of  an  experienced  scout,  because 
they  enable  him  to  locate  many  diseased  trees  from  a high  point  of 
land  or  from  tree  tops.  In  such  cases  compass  sights  are  taken  on 
the  diseased  trees,  and  an  assistant  is  dispatched  to  locate  them. 


Thorough  scouting  for  the  blight  is  necessary. 


75 


Such  scouting,  however,  cannot  entirely  take  the  place  of  more 
detailed  examination. 

It  has  also  been  demonstrated  that  more  and  better  work  in 
scouting  can  be  done  in  the  fall  and  winter,  after  the  leaves  have 
fallen.  In  August  and  September  the  majority  of  new  infections 
become  plainly  visible  on  isolated  trees,  but  in  dense  woods  the 
foliage  makes  it  difficult  to  locate  small  infections.  After  the 
leaves  have  fallen,  however,  more  light  is  admitted,  and  a scout  can 
see  for  comparatively  long  distances  through  the  bare  tops,  even 
in  dense  woods.  The  dead  leaves  on  girdled  branches  are  conspicu- 
ous throughout  the  winter  and  early  spring,  and  where  cankers 
have  not  yet  girdled  the  parts,  the  increased  light  makes  them 
much  more  prominent  than  in  summer.  Winter  scouting  has  the 
disadvantage  of  fewer  hours  of  daylight  and  occasional  loss  of  a 
day  or  two  on  acount  of  snow  storms  that  tend  to  hide  the  cankers 
on  the  trunk  and  branches.  If  the  snow  becomes  very  deep  it  is 
not  easy  to  examine  the  bases  of  the  trees  sufficiently,  and  the  snow 
also  greatly  interferes  with  the  proper  treatment  of  the  blighted 
trees. 

In  the  work  done  by  the  Commission,  the  law  required  that  the 
owner  of  diseased  trees  be  notified  to  remove  them  within  20  days. 
A map  or  written  description  giving  the  location  of  the  diseased 
trees  on  the  tract,  was  also  required  by  law.  On  private  land  the 
scouts  kept  field  notes  on  the  location  of  all  diseased  trees,  blazed 
each  tree  to  the  wood  and  marked  a serial  number  on  it  with  black 
lumber  crayon ; on  the  side  opposite  from  the  blaze,  a yellow  manila 
tag  was  attached  to  the  tree.  These  tags  bore  a printed  notifica- 
tion that  the  tree  to  which  one  was  attached  must  be  cut  in  20 
days,  with  directions  for  treatment  and  a warning  against  starting 
forest  fires;  they  also  bore  the  serial  number  of  the  tree,  the  name 
of  the  scout,  and  the  date  when  attached.  In  this  way  the  trees 
were  easily  identified  later  when  approached  from  any  direction, 
and  by  means  of  the  “location  sheet”  giving  the  direction  and  dis- 
tance of  each  diseased  tree  from  some  fixed  point,  it  was  not  dif- 
ficult to  find  the  trees.  The  “location  sheet”  was  made  out  in  dupli- 
cate, one  copy  being  handed  to  the  owner  of  the  tract,  with  a writ- 
ten request  to  remove  the  trees  within  the  20  days  granted  by  law. 
The  duplicate  copy  was  sent  to  the  field  office,  the  scout  retaining 
his  note  book.  Some  system  of  this  sort  is  necessary  when  the  cut- 
ting out  is  not  done  by  the  scouting  force,  but  it  is  cumbersome 
and  very  expensive.  Frequently,  it  required  more  time  to  fulfill  the 
requirement  of  the  law  than  would  have  been  necessary  to  treat  prop- 
erly the  diseased  trees  on  a tract.  Much  time  was  consumed  also 
in  very  detailed  inspection  of  the  trees  around  a blight  center,  so 


76 


that  apparently  healthy  trees  would  not  be  cut,  since  the  law  pro- 
vided that  healthy  trees  ordered  to  be  cut,  must  be  paid  for.  Not 
only  was  this  very  detailed  scouting  a waste  of  time  in  the  light  of 
recent  investigations,  but  it  resulted  in  decreased  efficiency  of  con- 
trol because  so  many  of  the  trees  permitted  to  remain,  in  reality 
were  infected.  Although  no  disease  could  be  found  on  them  at  the 
time,  the  disease  developed  fully  after  the  spot  was  treated,  neces- 
sitating several  re-examinations  before  all  infections  could  be  re- 
moved. 

METHOD  OF  ERADICATING  A SPOT  INFECTION. 

There  are  many  points  to  be  observed  in  removing  diseased  trees 
in  spot  infections,  if  the  disease  is  to  be  permanently  wiped  out.  The 
main  point  to  keep  in  mind  is  the  fact  that  the  fungus  propagates  it- 
self more  readily  as  a saprophyte  than  as  a parasite,  so  that  un- 
peeled logs,  strips  of  healthy  bark  and  chips  from  diseased  trees  or 
nearby  healthy  ones,  if  left  in  the  woods,  are  almost  certain  to  be- 
come infected.  The  principal  object  is  to  do  the  work  in  a thor- 
oughly sanitary  manner  at  a reasonable  cost.  An  experienced  man 
acquired  “tricks  of  the  trade”  that  enabled  him  to  do  the  work  much 
more  thoroughly  and  in  less  time  than  an  inexperienced  hand  can 
do  even  a poor  job.  Great  care  was  necessary  in  supervising  the 
work  of  removal  carried  on  by  the  individual  owners,  since  each 
spot  infection  practically  meant  training  a new  man  to  do  the  work, 
and  unless  an  experienced  man  was  constantly  on  the  spot,  the 
work  would  seldom  be  done  properly.  On  State  forest  reserves 
and  in  cases  of  forced  removals,  the  work  was  done  by  employees 
of  the  Commission,  and  it  was  found  that  it  was  done  at  less  cost 
and  much  more  effectively  than  was  usually  the  case  elsewhere. 

The  removal  of  an  infected  tree  is  best  done  as  follows:  First: 

Where  the  ground  beneath  the  tree  is  covered  with  a dense  growth 
of  brush,  this  growth  should  be  cleared  away  so  that  the  chips  and 
branches  may  be  easily  picked  up.  Small  chestnut  or  chinquapin 
trees  or  sprouts  should  be  cut  flush  with  the  surface  of  the  ground 
and  the  tops  burned. 

The  stump  should  be  made  as  low  as  possible.  The  bark  should 
be  first  removed  from  the  lower  3 or  4 feet  of  the  trunk  to  an  inch 
or  more  below  the  surface  of  the  soil.  If  felled  by  sawing,  peeling 
may  be  done  after  the  tree  has  been  cut  down.  During  the  fall  and 
winter  the  bark  is  difficult  to  remove,  and  if  the  stumps  are  cut 
low,  it  is  easier  and  cheaper  to  split  off  the  sap  wood  and  attached 
bark  with  an  axe.  In  any  case  the  stump  and  all  exposed  roots 
must  be  cleared  of  every  particle  of  bark,  and  all  bark  removed 
must  be  carefully  collected  and  burned. 


Peeling  blight  infected  trees  in  a spot  infection. 


<§)  Original  infected  tree,  cut  and  burned  December,  1911. 

© Secondary  infected  trees,  cut  and  burned  December,  1911. 
® Secondary  infected  trees,  December,  1912. 

© Secondary  infected  trees,  August,  1913. 

O Healthy  trees,  6 to  12  inches  in  diameter. 

Scale — 


Figure  4. 

Typical  small  spot  infection,  near  Dry  Run,  Franklin  County,  Pa.,  showing 
original  center  and  secondary  infected  trees.  If  all  chestnut  trees  within  35 
feet  of  the  nearest  diseased  tree  cut  in  1911  had  been  removed  at  the  time  of  the 
first  cutting,  and  all  stumps  properly  sterilized,  it  would  have  prevented  the 
appearance  of  the  new  infections  of  1912  and  1913. 


77 


After  the  tree  is  felled,  all  portions  above  the  stump  which  show 
mycelium  or  pustules  of  the  blight  must  be  peeled  of  bark  or  the 
entire  piece  cut  out.  This  diseased  material,  the  brush  from  the 
tops,  the  bark,  and  portions  of  the  felled  chestnut  trees  which  are 
not  peeled  and  which  it  is  not  intended  to  utilize  must  be  burned. 

After  the  stump  is  peeled,  if  fire  can  be  made  over  it  without 
injuring  the  surrounding  trees,  and  without  danger  of  forest  fires, 
the  brush  and  refuse  is  best  piled  over  the  stump  and  burned.  The 
fire  must  entirely  consume  or  deeply  char  all  of  the  material;  no 
uncharred  ends  of  branches  and  small  twigs  can  be  allowed  to  re- 
main without  grave  chances  of  reinfection.  If  it  is  impossible  to 
make  the  fire  over  the  stump  without  injuring  the  surrounding 
trees,  the  sides  and  top  of  the  stump  and  exposed  roots  should  be 
thoroughly  coated  with  creosote. 

Portions  of  infected  trees  which  show  no  evidence  of  the  blight 
should  not  be  permitted  to  lie  unpeeled  in  the  woods  over  twenty 
days,  but  may  be  safely  handled  and  shipped  with  the  bark  on,  if 
shipped  as  soon  as  cut.  If  the  logs  from  the  diseased  trees  are  not 
removed  from  the  woods  within  twenty  days  from  the  time  the  trees 
are  felled,  they  should  be  peeled  and  the  bark  burned,  or  else  the 
entire  trees  burned.  Wood  from  diseased  trees  to  be  used  where 
exposed  to  the  weather  must  be  peeled,  or  the  fruiting  bodies  are 
almost  sure  to  appear  on  the  dead  bark  and  become  a source  of  in- 
fection. Fire  wood,  if  kept  under  dry  cover,  need  not  be  peeled. 

One  of  the  most  important  time  saving  items  is  to  peel  the  lower 
portion  of  the  tree  before  felling,  and  it  is  still  more  important  to 
cut  the  stumps  as  low  as  possible.  Bark  remaining  between  but- 
tresses and  deep  crevices  of  stumps  can  be  removed  very  readily 
by  chipping  down  from  a position  directly  over  the  low  stump, 
which  is  not  possible  in  the  case  of  high  stumps.  A rake  and  a 
large  coal-burner’s  basket  included  among  the  tools  used  in  burn- 
ing, are  very  useful  in  cleaning  the  chips  from  the  ground.  Before 
starting  the  fire,  all  the  leaves  and  debris  for  a considerable  dis- 
tance around  the  place  where  the  material  is  to  be  burned  should 
be  raked  into  a pile  on  which  the  fire  is  started.  The  bark  and 
small  particles  of  wood  are  raked  together  as  soon  as  the  brush  is 
piled,  instead  of  waiting  until  all  the  tops  are  burned.  In  this 
way,  no  large  quantity  of  leaves  and  fine  rakings  are  left  until  the 
end  to  smoulder  for  a great  length  of  time  before  burning,  and  thus 
increase  the  danger  of  forest  fire. 

All  possible  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  injury  to  surrounding 
chestnut  trees  and  sprouts  in  felling  the  infected  trees.  Observa- 
tion has  shown  that  nearby  trees  are  too  frequently  injured  through 
carelessness,  and  the  wounds  are  very  apt  to  be  a point  of  reinfec- 


78 


tion.  Experience  has  also  shown  that  unbarked  stumps  of  blighted 
trees  and  green  tops  which  are  permitted  to  lie  for  a month  or  two 
on  the  ground  are  almost  certain  to  become  infected.  The  spores 
germinate  on  the  sappy  surface  of  the  stump,  and  the  mycelium 
grows  downward  through  the  cambium,  and  in  the  course  of  a 
year  or  two  reaches  the  sprouts  which  come  up  around  the  base  of 
the  stump.  In  the  case  of  the  tops  and  particles  of  bark  and  wood, 
the  decaying  bark  appears  to  be  a very  favorable  seed-bed  for  the 
development  of  the  spores  that  reach  any  portion  of  this  material. 
It  must  be  impressed  on  the  workmen  that  the  stumps  must  be  peeled 
clean , and  every  particle  of  the  diseased  tree  must  be  either  burned 
or  utilized  in  such  manner  that  no  opportunity  is  given  for  the 
saprophytic  growth  of  the  fungus. 

It  has  been  found  that  painting  the  thoroughly  peeled  stumps 
with  creosote  is  effective  in  keeping  the  stumps  free  from  the 
pyenidia  of  the  blight  fungus,  but  is  not  so  desirable  as  hard  burn- 
ing over  the  stumps.  In  an  experimental  cutting  at  Wildwood  Park, 
Harrisburg,  55  per  cent,  of  burned  stumps  later  showed  blight, 
while  only  23  per  cent,  of  the  creosoted  stumps  showed  any  signs 
of  it.  However,  it  is  possible  that  in  the  future,  many  of  the  cre- 
osoted stumps  will  become  diseased. 

The  results  of  an  extensive  experiment  at  Anderson  Station,  Mif- 
flin County,  are  given  below.  This  experiment  deals  with  the  ef- 
ficiency of  burning  over  stumps  as  compared  with  creosoting 
stumps.  The  stumps  in  Table  II  were  peeled  at  various  times  dur- 
ing January,  February,  and  March,  1913,  and  cold  creosote  ap- 
plied with  a brush.  The  cost  of  creosote  and  labor  of  application 
was  approximately  one-fifth  of  a cent  for  each  six-inch  stump,  cut 
low.  The  data  given  below  are  the  result  of  an  inspection  of  these 
stumps  made  December  12,  1913. 


Center  of  spot  infection  at  St.  Mary’s,  Elk  County,  Pa.  This  tree  was  infected 
at  least  four  years  prior  to  the  time  the  picture  was  taken. 


Spot  Infection  in  101k  County,  Pa. 


79 


TABLE  II. 

RESULTS  OF  CREOSOTING  PEELED  STUMPS. 


Number. 

Number  of  vigorous  sprouts. 

Average  height  of  vigorous 
sprouts  (feet). 

Number  of  diseased  sprouts. 

Point  of  disease  on  sprouts. 

Diseased  bark  on  stump. 

Pycnidia  on  wood  of  stump 
(creosoted  portion). 

1,  

14 

5 

2,  

8 

5 

1 

3,’  

8 

5 

4,  

6 

6 

5|  

4 

4 

6'  

4 

5 

7,  

5 

6 

8,  

3 

3 

9,  

12 

5 

1 

10  

7 

7 

11 ' 

4 

6 

12'  

3 

5 

13*  

1 

3 

14’  

6 

6 

15'  

2 

5 

16'  

5 

3 

17 1 

2 

4 

18,’  

6 

5 

Yes 

19,  

2 

4 

°0 , . 

4 

3 

21,  

4 

6 

22,  

6 

23  

10 

7 

Yes 

Yes 

24 

3 

5 

2 

25,’  

1 

4 

26’  

3 

4 

1 

27  

8 

5.2 

5.2 

0.035 

of  sprouts 

0.148 

of  stumps 

No  pycnidia  were  found  on  wood  of  peeled  stumps  after  creosot- 
ing,  except  in  one  case,  where  a large  area  of  inner  bark  adhered 
to  the  stump  at  time  of  creosoting,  and  later  raised  up,  exposing  an 
untreated  wood  surface.  The  inner  side  of  this  bark  and  the  unere- 
osoted  area  of  wood  were  covered  with  pycnidia.  Creosote  painted 
on  thick  bark  at  the  base  of  stumps  or  on  an  exposed  root  does  not 
appear  to  hinder  the  growth  of  the  fungus.  Hence,  since  stumps 
can  be  peeled  but  a very  short  distance  below  the  soil,  especially  in 
winter,  it  is  believed  that  creosoted  stumps  are  more  apt  to  have 
infected  sprouts  after  a few  years  than  burned  stumps.  The  dan- 
ger point  is  at  the  ground  line,  and  exposed  roots  and  the  crotches 
at  the  collar  between  roots  are  especially  liable  to  have  areas  of 
bark  that  are  missed  in  peeling.  If  this  bark  becomes  affected,  it 
brings  the  disease  very  close  to  the  young  sprouts  that  spring  up 
around  the  stumps,  and  sooner  or  later  causes  infection. 


6 


80 


The  stumps  in  Table  ITT  were  burned  in  December,  1912.  The 
data  given  below  are  the  result  of  an  inspection  made  December 
12,  1913. 

TABLE  III. 

RESULTS  OF  BURNING  OVER  PEELED  STUMPS. 


Number. 

Number  of  vigorous 
sprouts. 

Average  height  of  | 
vigorous  sprouts 

(feet). 

Number  of  diseased 
sprouts. 

Point  of  disease  on 
sprouts. 

Diseased  bark  on 
stump. 

Pycnidia  on  wood  of 
stump. 

1,  

4 

3 

0 

2,  

8 

6 

3 

3'  

2 

2 

0 

4’  

4 

4 

0 



6 

6 

1 

Base 

Yes 

Yes 

6 

4 

0 



7 

3 

3 

0 



8 

2 

4 

0 

5 

4 

0 



10,  

0 

0 

0 

ll’  

3 

4 

0 

12]  

4 

3 

0 

13 

1 

1 

0 

14]  

4 

3 

0 

15i  

4 

7 

0 

16  

3 

6 

0 

17j  

4 

4 

1 

Base 

Yes 

Yes 

18,  

4 

4 

0 

ioj  

4 

5 

0 



20  [ 

1 

6 

0 

2l!  

3 

5 

0 

2?’  

2 

3 

0 



23'  

4 

4 

0 

2A\  

2 

2 

0 

25,  

5 

0 

26!  

0 

0 

0 



27 

2 

4 

1 



2S,  

6 

4 

0 

29,  

6 

6 

2 

Base 

Yes 

Yes 

Average,  

3.5 

4.5 

*0.078 

t0. 17 

One  very  heavily  burned  stump,  cut  close  to  ground,  had  an  area 
of  diseased  bark  at  crotch  between  roots,  and  a diseased  sprout 
(No.  27).  The  least  charring  was  always  in  crotches  between  roots 
at  or  near  the  soil  line.  Heavily  burned  stumps  have  weak  sprouts 
or  none,  as  a rule,  about  one  stump  out  of  twenty  having  no  sprouts. 
Creosoted  stumps  usually  have  more  and  stronger  sprouts  than 
burned  stumps. 

Creosoting  is  cheaper  than  burning  over  the  stump,  on  account 
of  the  labor  saved.  While  it  is  apparently  effective  where  the 
peeling  and  creosoting  are  well  done,  burning  is  safer,  although 
more  expensive.  A gallon  of  creosote  costs  about  15  cents  and  will 
treat  from  50  to  100  medium  sized  (10" — 15")  stumps,  varying 
with  the  height  of  the  stump  and  the  temperature  of  the  air  and 


Heavily  burned  stump  showing  very  few  sprouts  ; also  shows  remnants  of  improperly  burned  tops,  hearing  growth  of 

blight  fungus,  (on  right). 


Improper  piling  and  burning 


81 

creosote.  The  creosote  may  be  profitably  used  where  other  trees 
will  be  injured  by  fire  or  where  there  is  great  danger  of  starting 
forest  fires.  Other  methods  of  treating  the  stump  have  been  tried, 
such  as  spraying  the  stumps  with  crude  oil  or  kerosene  and  then 
burning  them,  after  peeling.  The  stumps  have  also  been  buried 
under  a mound  of  soil  through  which  the  sprouts  had  to  penetrate. 
These  treatments  are  less  efficient  and  more  expensive  than  creo- 
sote and  cannot  be  recommended. 


COST  OF  ERADICATION. 

The  cost  of  eradication  will  vary  greatly  according  to  the  condi- 
tions. If  an  average  of  50  acres  is  scouted  per  day  per  man,  at  a 
labor  charge  of  $2.50  per  day  to  include  the  cost  of  supervision,  the 
cost  of  scouting  an  acre  is  5 cents.  In  a region  of  much  blight,  the 
cost  of  efficient  scouting  will  run  four  or  five  times  this  amount 
unless  the  plan  is  adopted  of  determining  only  the  edges  of  a spot 
infection,  and  then  cutting  out  all  of  the  chestnut  trees  inside  of 
the  area  regardless  of  whether  or  not  they  show  visible  signs  of 
the  blight.  This  seems  to  be  the  most  sensible  plan,  since  the  re- 
sults of  reinspection  show  that  it  is  the  trees  inside  of  the  edges 
of  the  spot  infection  which  in  almost  every  case  show  reinfection. 
It  will  save  money  not  only  in  scouting,  but  in  future  control.  On 
the  Pennypacker  forest  reserve  in  Perry  County  where  the  infec- 
tions were  thickly  scattered,  the  cost  of  scouting  and  removal  in 
1911  and  1912  on  1,620  acres  was  73  cents  per  acre,  or  52  cents  per 
diseased  tree,  and  this  is  probably  the  lowest  figure  for  which  the 
work  can  be  done.  The  most  expensive  part  of  the  work  is  the  peel- 
ing of  the  stumps,  and  here  a great  deal  can  be  saved  by  following 
the  proper  methods.  In  a large  spot  infection,  the  cost  can  be 
reduced  considerably  because  of  the  concentration  of  the  work.  A 
spot  infection  of  822  trees,  ranging  up  to  18  inches  in  diameter  on 
the  stump  (average  6 inches)  was  cut  out  at  a cost  of  $70.50  or 
8.58  cents  per  tree.  This  included  peeling  not  only  the  stumps,  but 
all  merchantable  portions  of  the  trees,  burning  the  brush,  steriliz- 
ing the  stumps,  and  cleaning  up  thoroughly.  This  cost,  however, 
does  not  include  scouting,  which  in  this  case  can  be  figured  at  2 
cents  per  tree.  The  total  area  of  this  spot  was  about  three  acres, 
so  that  the  total  cost  of  scouting  and  eradication  was  approximately 
$29.00  per  acre.  In  all  but  very  small  spot  infections,  enough  ma- 
terial is  produced  to  pay  for  doing  the  work. 

In  Mifflin  County,  three  men  treated  2,341  clumps  of  six-year- 
old  chestnut  sprouts  at  an  average  cost  of  20.3  cents  per  clump. 
Each  man  averaged  15  clumps  per  day;  cutting,  peeling,  cleaning 


82 


up  and  burning  were  very  carefully  done  at  a cost  of  16.3  cents 
per  clump.  Scouting,  creosoting,  and  loss  of  time  from  bad  weather 
cost  an  additional  4 cents  per  clump.  The  average  acre  contained 
205  clumps  of  chestnut  sprouts,  with  an  average  of  5 five-inch 
sprouts  per  clump;  29  clumps  per  acre  or  14  per  cent,  were  dis- 
eased. The  cost  of  thorough  sanitation  thus  amounted  to  $5.89  per 
acre.  The  average  daily  wage  was  $2.40,  including  the  cost  of 
board  and  supervision. 


EFFICIENCY  OF  THE  CUTTING-OUT  METHOD  OF  CONTROL. 

To  determine  the  efficiency  of  sanitation  in  controlling  the  dis- 
ease, a careful  reinspection  of  67  spot  infections  which  had  been 
treated  a year  or  more  previous  to  the  examination,  was  made  in 
the  fall  of  1913.  The  results  of  these  investigations  are  shown  in 
the  following  tabulation: 

TABLE  IV. 

RESULTS  OBTAINED,  IN  ONE  YEAR,  IN  CUTTING  OUT  20 
ADVANCE  SPOT  INFECTIONS  OF  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT. 


County. 


i 


a 

o 


fa 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 
9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 


Blair 

Clearfield 

Tioga 

Tioga,  

Tioga,  

Tioga 

Bradford 

Bradford 

Bradford,  

Bradford,  

Blair 

Cambria 

Tioga,  

Tioga 

Huntingdon,  

Blair,  

Blair 

Blair,  

Blair 

Huntingdon,  


April, 

Nov. , 

Dec., 

Sept., 

Nov., 

Sept., 

Jan., 

Jan., 

Jan., 

Jan., 

Dec., 

Jan. , 

Jan. , 

Dec., 

Jan., 

Feb., 

Jan., 

Jan. , 

Jan., 

March. 


Averages, 


1913,* 
1912,* 
1912,* 
1912,* 
1912, * 

1912, * 

1913, * 
1913,* 
1913, t 
1913,* 

1912,  * 

1913, * 
1913,* 

1912, * 

1913, * 
1913, § 
1913.* 
1913, t 
1913,* 
1913,* 


1 

Feb., 

1914 

1 

0 

1913 

10 

1 

dan. , 

1914 

0 

0 

1 

Tan., 

1914 

0 

0 

1 

Jan., 

1914,  

0 

0 

1 

Jan., 

1914 

0 

0 

1 

Jan. , 

1914,  

0 

0 

1 

■Tan.. 

1914 

0 

0 

1 

Jan., 

1914,  

0 

0 

1 

dan., 

1914 

0 

0 

1 

Jan. 

1914 

0 

0 

2 

Aug. 

1913 

0 

0 

3 

Jan., 

1914 

0 

0 

3 

Aug. 

1913,  

0 

0 

4 

Jan., 

1914 

4 

0 

1913 

30 

6 

Jan., 

1914 

5 

.0 

1912 

70 

7 

Aug.. 

1913 

10 

0 

1912 

50 

8 

1913,  

1 

0 

1913 

22 

Aug., 

1913,'  

4 

0 

1912 

50 

26 

1913 

3 

0 

1912 

30 

Jan., 

1914,'  

0 

1912 

5 

6.15 

1.75 

0 

35.8 

*Sanitation  well  done — stumps  well  peeled,  well  burned  or  creosoted,  and  refuse  burned. 
fSanitation  fairly  well  done,  but  stumps  not  thoroughly  peeled  or  burned. 

§Sanitation  poorly  done — no  burning  done,  and  stumps  poorly  peeled  in  some  cases. 


Results  Obtained,  in  Two  Years,  in  Cutting  Out  35  Advanced  Spot  Infections  of  Chestnut  Blight. 


83 


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1912 

1913 

1913 

1913 

1913 

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Third  Inspection. 

February,  1914,  

Febroary,  1914,  

Febroary,  1914,  

February,  1914,  

January,  1914,  

August,  1913,  

December,  1913,  ... 

August,  1913 

January,  1914 

January,  1914 

December,  1913,  ... 

February,  1914,  

February,  1914 

February,  1914,  

February,  1914,  

February,  1914 

December,  1913,  ... 

February,  1914,  

February,  1914,  

February,  1914,  

February,  1914,  

January,  1914,  

February,  1914,  

February,  1914 

February,  1914 

December,  1913,  . . . 

December,  1913,  ... 
December,  1913,  ... 

December,  1913 

February,  1914,  

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oa©aoo0oMMHO«o^i>ooHoeiioHNcoMOMOLO 

Second  Inspection. 

December,  1912,  

December,  1912 

December,  1912,  

December,  1912 

December,  1912 

March,  1913 

April,  1913 

November,  1912,*  

Mav.  1913  * 

April.  1913,*  

December,  1912,  t 

December.  1912 

April,  1913, t 

December.  1912,  

March,  1913,*  

March,  1913,*  

April,  1913 

December,  1912,  

March,  1913,  t 

December.  1912 

December,  1912,  

May,  191 3, t 

April,  1913,  f 

March,  19134  

March,  19134  

December,  1912,*  

December,  1912,  

December,  1912,$  

April,  1913 

March,  19134  

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I 

August,  1912,*  

August,  1912,*  

June,  1912,*  i 

July,  1912,*  

April,  1912,*  

November,  1912*  

October,  1912,*  

January,  1912,  t 

Jnlv.  1912  * 

June,  1912,*  

June,  1912.J  

Amriist.  1912  * 

July.  1912,*  

April,  1912, t 

May,  1912,*  

June,  1912,*  

July,  1912,*  

July,  1912,  * 

June,  1912, t 

.Tnlv  1912  * 

July,  1912,f  

April,  1912,$  

July,  1912,*  

April,  19124  

August,  1912,*  

July,  1912,*  

September,  1912,*  

June,  1912,  f 

October,  1912,*  

July,  1912,*  

County. 

Blair 

Blair,  

Blair 

Blair,  

Huntingdon,  

Huntingdon,  

Warren 

Huntingdon,  

TCllr  

Elk!  

Clearfield 

Blnip  

Blair 

Blair 

Blair 

Blair 

Warren,  

Blair 

Blair,  

Rio  ir 

Blair,'  

Huntingdon,  

Blair,  

Blair 

Blair 

Clearfield 

Clearfield,  

Clearfield,  

Warren,  

Blair,  

•jaqmno  $dbjj, 

TABLE  V. 

Results  Obtained  in  Two  Years,  in  Cutting  Out  35  Advanced  Spot  Infections  of  Chestnut  Blight.  Continued. 


84 


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RESULTS  OBTAINED  IN  CUTTING  OUT  8 LARGE  SPOT  INFECTIONS  OF  CHESTNUT  BLIGHT. 


85 


86 


NOTES  OF  RE-INSPECTION. 

Over  60  spot  infections  located  on  the  western  advance  line  were 
examined  between  August,  1913,  and  February,  1914.  The  spots 
were  located  in  7 counties  on  the  extreme  western  advance  line  of 
the  disease,  and  also  some  distance  back  of  this  line.  The  cutting 
out  had  been  done  by  practically  as  many  owners  as  there  were 
spots,  under  supervision  of  various  field  men,  so  that  the  condi- 
tions were  averaged  in  every  way.  The  point  which  was  brought 
out  most  prominently  by  the  re-examination  was  the  fact  that 
where  the  stumps  were  well  peeled  and  thoroughly  charred  and 
where  the  tops  and  refuse  were  well  cleaned  up  and  burned,  and  the 
merchantable  material  promptly  removed  from  the  vicinity  of  the 
spot  infection,  there  was  no  reinfection  of  the  stumps  or  sprouts 
of  the  treated  trees.  Where  the  work  was  carelessly  done,  there 
was  more  or  less  reinfection.  However,  there  were  exceptions  in 
both  cases.  In  some  cases  where  the  work  was  done  only  fairly  well 
or  even  poorly,  there  was  less  infection  than  might  naturally  be 
expected.  In  some  other  cases  where  the  work  was  done  as  well 
as  it  can  be  expected  under  field  conditions,  there  was  a consider- 
able reinfection.  This  variation  is  probably  explained  by  other  fac- 
tors which  undoubtedly  enter  into  the  effectiveness  of  sanitation 
cutting.  Probably  the  age  of  the  original  infection  center  is  one 
factor  governing  the  number  of  new  infections  which  appear  after 
the  first  cutting  out.  If  the  original  infection  is  still  so  young 
iliat  there  is  a comparatively  small  canker,  or  if  the  condition  of 
the  growth  has  been  unfavorable  for  the  production  of  ascospores, 
a small  amount  of  new  infection  may  be  expected,  since  the  wind 
apparently  distributes  most  of  the  infection  to  the  surrounding 
trees.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  diseased  area  of  bark  at  the  center 
of  an  infection  is  large  and  has  produced  a great  number  of  peri- 
thecia,  and  the  climatic  conditions  have  been  favorable  for  the 
ejection  of  ascospores,  a large  number  of  incipient  infections  are 
very  apt  to  be  left  in  the  surrounding  trees  at  the  time  of  the  first 
removal  cutting. 

Just  how  long  after  cutting  it  takes  these  incipient  infections 
to  develop  so  that  they  can  be  detected  in  scouting  depends  on  a 
number  of  conditions,  such  as  the  location  of  the  diseased  area  on 
the  tree  and  the  height  above  ground  where  infection  occurs,  size 
of  the  tree,  season  of  the  year  and  climatic  conditions  following 
the  occurrence  of  infection,  location  of  the  spot  infection  relative 
to  topography,  etc.  Probably  the  most  important  factor  govern- 
ing the  number  of  new  infections  after  a removal  cutting  is  the 
character  and  quality  of  the  man  who  scouted  the  area.  Certain 


Healthy  sprouts  growing  around  a burned  stump. 


87 


men  have  much  better  scouting  ability  than  others,  and  in  some  of 
the  spots  examined,  at  least,  this  factor  alone  is  sufficient  to  account 
largely  for  the  conditions  found  on  reinspection.  However,  even 
the  best  scout  cannot  detect  small  twig  infections  in  the  tops  of  tall 
trees  before  they  have  girdled  the  twigs,  and  it  is  frequently  very 
easy  to  miss  well  developed  cankers  either  at  the  base  of  large  trees 
when  no  fruiting  bodies  have  been  produced,  or  on  the  upper  trunks 
of  tall  trees  before  the  tops  have  been  girdled. 

It  was  very  noticeable  that  new  infections  appearing  in  a spot 
where  the  original  infection  had  been  properly  removed  were  al- 
most always  within  a short  distance  of  the  original  infection.  Prob- 
ably half  of  the  new  infections  found,  even  after  the  second  inspec- 
tion, were  on  trees  that  grew  on  the  same  stump  or  in  the  same  tree 
group  as.  an  original  infected  tree,  and  90  per  cent,  of  the  newly 
infected  trees  were  so  close  that  their  tops  interlocked  or  were  di- 
rectly exposed  to  the  tops  of  the  previously  infected  trees.  The  ac- 
companving  diagram  illustrates  the  characteristic  manner  in  which 
new  infection  appears.  In  several  cases  the  farthest  infection  as 
noted  in  the  tabulated  data  was  an  old  infection  which  was  missed 
at  the  time  of  the  first  inspection,  and  which  really  constituted  a 
separated  spot  infection. 

Blight  spots  in  northern  Pennsylvania  seem  to  be  smaller,  more 
widely  scattered,  and  to  spread  less  rapidly  from  the  center  than 
spots  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State.  One  reason  for  this  may 
be  that  there  is,  as  a rule,  a much  lower  percentage  of  chestnut 
in  the  forest  and  the  chestnut  appears  to  be  sounder  and  in  better 
health  than  much  of  the  chestnut  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State. 
Further  south  along  the  advance  line,  greater  injury  is  noticed 
on  young  trees  from  the  bast  miner;  damage  from  ice  storms  and 
hail  storms  also  appears  to  be  greater.  Another  possible  factor  is 
that  the  climate  is  warmer,  and  favorable  to  the  copious  formation 
and  ejection  of  ascospores  over  a longer  period  than  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  State.  Another  possible  factor  is  differences  in  topo- 
graphy which  favor  the  carrying  of  spores  long  distances  along  reg- 
ular “air  lanes.”  This  may  be  the  explanation  for  long  chains  of 
spot  infections  which  occur  along  the  lower  edges  of  timber  of  the 
long,  forested  ridges,  and  on  benches  half  way  up  mountain  sides. 
Tli is  is  put  forth  merely  as  a suggestion  and  not  as  a fact,  although 
there  is  some  evidence  to  warrant  a hypothesis  of  this  kind. 

The  results  of  the  investigation  show  clearly  that  the  chestnut 
trees  immediately  within  aud  adjoiniug  a spot  infection  (say  25 
feet  beyond  the  outermost  infected  trees),  should  be  cut  out  and 
the  stumps  sterilized  whether  the  trees  appear  to  be  infected  at 
the  time  the  cutting  is  done,  or  not  (.Fig.  4).  The  investigation 


88 


proves  that  these  trees  in  the  majority  of  cases  will  become  infected 
later  on,  and  it  means  extra  expense  and  less  effective  control  to 
wait  until  the  infection  appears.  In  very  small  spot  infections  or 
even  those  of  considerable  size,  it  is  believed  that  such  treatment 
will  avoid  a recurrence  of  the  blight  in  the  majority  of  cases.  How- 
ever, to  cut  out  these  apparently  healthy  trees  is  not  sufficient;  the 
sanitation  work  must  be  done  as  thoroughly  as  if  the  trees  were  dis- 
eased. Even  though  the  merchantable  portions  are  taken  out  of  the 
woods  and  the  tops  burned,  the  unpeeled  stumps  are  very  apt  to 
become  infected,  especially  if  nearby  diseased  trees  have  been  eject- 
ing ascospores.  Four  treated  spot  infections  were  examined  which 
proved  this  very  conclusively.  The  following  facts  relative  to  these 
spots  are  interesting: — 

Spot  1.  Five  infected  trees  in  Huntingdon  County  were  treated 
in  April,  1912,  by  digging  up  the  trees,  stumps  and  all,  and  burn- 
ing them  in  an  open  field.  In  March,  1913,  the  spot  was  re-examined 
and  three  infected  trees  found.  The  stumps  were  peeled  and  the 
tops  burned,  but  not  over  the  stumps.  A.t  the  same  time  all  of  the 
chestnut  trees  on  a half  acre  surrounding  the  spot  that  were  large 
enough  for  fence  posts  were  cut  out,  the  tops  burned  and  the  rest 
of  tlie  trees  removed.  The  stumps  were  left  unpeeled  and  in  Janu- 
ary, 1914,  G new  infections  were  found  on  small  saplings  that  re- 
mained after  the  cutting,  and  all  but  4 out  of  75  stumps  from  which 
the  bark  was  not  peeled  showed  pycnidia  on  the  cut  surface  of  the 
wood  or  bark,  pustules  in  the  dead  bark  on  the  side  of  the  stump, 
and  usually,  mycelium  growing  downward  toward  the  base  of  the 
stump  through  the  live  bark. 

Spot  No.  2.  Seven  infected  trees  cut  March,  1913;  stumps  well 
peeled  but  not  burned  over.  In  January,  1914,  9 new  infections 
were  found  on  adjoining  trees  and  50  new  infections  were  found 
on  the  stumps  of  healthy  trees  cut  in  close  proximity  to  the  spot 
in  March,  1913.  These  stumps  were  not  peeled  and  the  pustules 
appeared  in  the  bark  on  the  side  of  the  stump,  and  in  many  cases 
showed  mycelium  running  through  the  live  bark  of  the  lower  part 
of  the  stump. 

Spot  No.  3.  Seven  trees  cut  June,  1912;  stumps  peeled  and  well 
burned.  March,  1913,  7 infections  were  cut  out,  the  stumps  poorly 
peeled  and  not  burned.  At  this  time  17  healthy  trees  were  cut 
within  a radius  of  30  yards  and  the  bark  was  not  peeled  from  the 
stumps.  In  January,  1914,  no  new  infections  had  appeared  on  any 
of  the  surrounding  trees,  but  S of  the  stumps  were  infected. 

Spot  No.  4.  One  infection  cut  July,  1912.  Stumps  peeled  and 
burned.  In  April,  1913,  16  new  infections  were  found  on  stumps 
cut  at  the  time  the  original  infection  was  removed  and  immediately 


Healthy  sprouts  in  spot  infection  where  blight  was  cut  out  by  sanitary  methods 


Properly  burned  stump;  stump  on  the 


89 


surrounding  the  infected  trees.  These  stumps  were  located  as  fol- 
lows: One  stump  3 yards  west  of  center;  3 stumps  northwest  of 

center  (farthest  35  yards) ; 3 stumps  north  of  center  (farthest  20 
yards) ; 5 stumps  northeast  of  center  (farthest  12  yards) ; 2 stumps 
east  of  center  (farthest  3 yards) ; 2 stumps  southeast  of  center 
(farthest  8 yards) ; these  stumps  were  peeled  and  not  burned  over. 
In  February,  1914,  4 additional  infected  stumps  were  found,  the 
farthest  being  12  yards  from  the  center. 

East  of  the  advance  line  sanitation  has  proved  effective  in  hinder- 
ing the  progress  of  the  disease,  but  not  in  eradicating  it.  Inspec- 
tions made  of  a tract  of  blighted  chestnut  at  Haverford,  Pa.,  cut 
in  1910  and  the  stumps  peeled,  but  not  burned,  showed  both  in 
1912  and  1913,  that  only  about  20  per  cent,  of  the  stumps  and 
sprouts  were  reinfected.  On  a nearby  tract  where  the  trees  were 
cut  at  the  same  time  and  stumps  left  unpeeled,  the  reinfection  was 
approximately  80  per  cent.  At  Hummelstown,  Pa.,  on  several  acres 
of  diseased  chestnut,  cut  in  the  winter  in  1911-12,  a portion  of  the 
stumps  were  peeled  and  lightly  burned.  In  the  spring  of  1913,  80 
per  cent,  of  the  peeled  stumps  and  90  per  cent,  of  the  unpeeled 
stumps  were  reinfected.  The  reasons  for  the  high  per  cent,  of  re- 
infection was  the  fact  that  the  peeled  stumps  were  not  well  burned, 
and  the  nearness  of  disease  on  trees  in  the  adjoining  woods  and  on 
the  adjoining  unpeeled  stumps.  This  is  shown  by  the  location  of 
the  infection  on  the  sprouts  as  follows: 


90 


TABLE  VII. 

INFECTION  ON  SPROUTS  AROUND  STUMPS  OF  BLIGHTED 
TREES  CUT  AT  HUMMELSTOWN,  PA. 

PEELED  STUMPS. 


Infected  Sprouts. 


Stump  Number. 


o 

as 

c 


O Z2 

o c 
*2 


42 

5 

11 

0 

2,  

28 

0 

0 

0 

3 

35 

4 

7 

0 

4,  

20 

4 

1 

0 

5,  

11 

0 

3 

0 

6 

12 

2 

0 

0 

7,  

50 

0 

2 

0 

8 

10 

0 

2 

0 

9,  

15 

1 

3 

1 

10 

28 

0 

0 

0 

Average,  

26.1 

1.2 

2.9 

0.1 

UNPEELED  STUMPS. 


1 

15 

4 

3 

0 

2,  

24 

0 

4 

1 

3 

30 

1 

0 

1 

4,  

10 

0 

2 

1 

5,  

2 

0 

0 

0 

6 

46 

0 

4 

0 

7 

54 

1 

3 

0 

8,  

55 

1 

1 

0 

9 

23 

0 

1 

0 

10 

40 

1 

3 

0 

Average,  

29.9 

■ S 

2.1 

.3 

The  investigation  at  Hummelstown  shows  that  there  is  little 
or  no  difference  in  the  number  and  vigor  of  the  sprouts  produced 
by  peeled  and  unpeeled  stumps.  In  many  cases,  the  sprouts  reached 
a height  of  six  feet  or  more  in  a single  year’s  growth.  The  sprouts 
from  peeled  stumps  frequently  spring  from  the  roots,  2 to  4 inches 
from  the  stump,  and  push  through  three  inches  or  more  of  soil. 
This  will  undoubtedly  aid  in  keeping  them  free  from  disease,  and 
the  new  growth  will  be  better  rooted  than  ordinary  stump  sprouts. 


l’cclcd  stump  uncovered  after  burial.  Showing  piece  of  diseased  bark  buried  with  stump 


91 


RECOMMENDATIONS. 

It  has  been  shown  that  with  the  less  effective  methods  of  cutting 
out  spot  infections  used  in  the  beginning  of  its  work  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission,  the  amount  of  blight 
has  been  substantially  reduced.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
much  more  efficient  results  will  be  obtained  by  using  the  methods 
which  have  been  developed  by  experience,  and  which  are  recom- 
mended in  this  report: 

(1)  Cutting  out  all  chestnut  trees  inside  the  limits  of  a spot 
infection,  also  immediately  beyond,  regardless  of  whether  or  not 
they  all  show  visible  signs  of  the  blight. 

(2)  Great  care  in  peeling  the  stumps  and  in  burning  or  removing 
from  the  woods  all  felled  portions  of  the  treated  trees. 

(3)  Thorough  disinfection  of  the  peeled  stumps,  preferably  by 
burning. 

(4)  A force  of  well-trained  and  experienced  men  to  do  both  the 
scouting  and  sanitation  cutting. 


REGULATING  SHIPMENTS  OF  CHESTNUT  NUR- 
SERY STOCK. 

The  Commission  issued  the  appended  official  regulations  for  the 
better  protection  of  buyers  of  chestnut  nursery  stock,  and  to  aid 
in  the  effort  to  prevent  the  spread  of  the  chestnut  tree  bark  .disease. 
So  far  as  could  be  learned,  the  railway  and  other  transportation 
compahies  generally  complied  with  these  instructions,  recognizing 
their  meaning  and  importance,  knowing  that  diseased  nursery  stock 
was  a serious  menace. 


REGULATIONS  RESPECTING  CHESTNUT  NURSERY  STOCK; 

ADOPTED  BY  THE  CHESTNUT  TREE  BLIGHT  COMMIS- 
SION, MARCH  4,  1913. 

Whereas,  It  is  found  necessary  to  make  certain  regulations  in 
order  to  provide  efficient  and  practical  means  for  the  prevention, 
control,  and  eradication  of  the  chestnut  tree  blight;  therefore,  in 
pursuance  of  the  powers  conferred  by  Act  of  Assembly,  it  is  re- 
solved by  this  Commission  that  the  following  regulations  be  adopted, 


92 


and  as  occasion  may  arise,  such  other  and  further  regulations,  and 
the  altering  or  amending  of  the  same,  as  it  may  seem  necessary. 

Regulation  No.  1.  Railroad  companies,  express  companies,  and 
other  common  carriers  must  not  accept  for  shipment,  until  further- 
notice,  any  chestnut  nursery  stock  which  does  not  bear  the  official 
inspection  tags  of  this  Commission.  Chestnut  nursery  stock 
shipped  from  without  the  State  and  intended  for  delivery  within 
the  State  not  being  accompanied  by  an  official  inspection  tag  issued 
by  the  proper  authorities  of  the  State  or  Country  wherein  such 
shipment  originated,  certifying  apparent  freedom  from  chestnut 
blight,  must  be  held  at  a convenient  place  within  the  State,  and 
this  Commission  immediately  notified.  Every  such  shipment  must 
be  retained  in  its  original  package,  unopened,  and  must  not  be  de- 
livered to  the  consignee  until  after  an  examination  shall  have  been 
made  by  an  inspector  representing  this  Commission,  and  then  not 
until  the  inspector  shall  have  attached  thereto  the  official  inspector’s 
tag  of  this  Commission. 

The  official  inspection  tag  of  the  Commission  .bears  the  official 
seal  of  the  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission,  and 
reads  as  follows: 

COMMONWEALTH  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 


The  Commission  for  the  Investigation  and  Control  of  the  Chestnut 
Tree  Blight  Disease  in  Pennsylvania. 

CERTIFICATE  OF  INSPECTION 

This  is  to  Certify  that  the  chestnut  nursery  stock  to  which  this 
certificate  is  attached,  under  my  supervision,  was  carefully  ex- 
amined, and  at  the  time  of  shipment  was  found  to  be  apparently 
free  from  any  infection  by  blight  caused  by  the  fungus  Diaporthe 
parasitica. 

Dated 191 at Pa. 

Inspector. 

For  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission. 


Each  bundle,  bale,  or  package  of  chestnut  nursery  stock  shall 
bear  the  above  tag,  and  in  addition  each  tree  shall  have  attached 
thereto  a numbered  and  signed  tag  of  which  the  following  is  a copy: 


Large  sprouts  growing  around  ereosoted  chestnut  stumps. 


93 


COMMONWEALTH  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 


The  Commission  For  the  Investigation  and  Control  of  the  Chestnut 
Tree  Blight  Disease  in  Pennsylvania. 

Certificate  of  Single  Tree  Inspection. 

Tree  Number 

This  is  to  Certify  that  the  chestnut  tree  to  which  this  tag  is  at- 
tached, under  my  supervision,  was  carefully  examined,  and  at  the 
time  of  shipment  was  found  to  be  apparently  free  from  any  infection 
by  blight  caused  by  the  fungus  Diaporthe  parasitica. 

Dated 191 at Pa. 

Inspector. 

Regulation  No.  2.  No  chestnut  tree  nursery  stock  shall  be  re- 
moved from  any  nursery  or  other  place  where  the  same  may  be  grow- 
ing, for  the  purpose  of  sale  or  shipment  until  said  trees  shall  first 
have  been  inspected  by  this  Commission  and  the  official  inspection 
tag  attached  thereto.  “Removed”  is  here  construed  to  mean  the 
final  tying  up  into  an  original  package,  transporting  from  the 
premises  where  grown,  or  offering  same  to  a common  carrier  for 
shipment. 

Regulation  No.  3.  All  chestnut  tree  nursery  stock  intended  for 
sale  or  shipment  must  first  be  dipped  into  an  approved  fungicide 
prior  to  delivery  or  shipment.  The  official  inspection  tag  will  not 
be  attached  to  stock  unless  first  so  treated. 

Regulation  No.  4.  All  chestnut  tree  nursery  stock  found  to  be 
infected  with  the  chestnut  bark  fungus  must  be  immediately  de- 
stroyed. This  regulation  applies  to  diseased  stock  found  at  the 
time  of  inspection  for  shipment,  and  also  to  inspections  in  the 
nursery  before  stock  is  marketed. 

Regulation  No.  5.  Nurserymen  and  common  carriers,  who,  after 
receiving  notice  of  the  above  regulations,  negligently  or  willfully 
fail  to  refuse  to  be  governed  thereby,  will,  without  further  notice, 
subject  their  chestnut  stock  and  shipments  to  quarantine,  which 
will  be  maintained  by  this  Commission. 

All  correspondence  relative  to  nursery  inspection  should  be  ad- 
dressed to  Dr.  F.  D.  Heald,  Pathologist,  Zoology  Building,  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

THE  AMENDED  CHESTNUT  TREE  BARK  DISEASE  ACT. 


The  work  of  the  Chestnut  Blight  Commission  was  suspended  not 
because  of  the  lack  of  a desire  to  proceed,  or  lack  of  onnortunitv  to 
render  most  valuable  services,  but  for  reasons  stated  in  the  letter  at 
the  beginning  of  this  report.  While  the  legislation  recognized  the 


94 


need  of  continuing  active  work  of  this  character  by  providing  for 
a continuation  of  the  Commission,  it  did  not  see  its  way  clear  to  have 
the  work  advance  with  that  vigor  which  the  Commission  believed 
necessary  in  order  to  achieve  the  most  marked  success. 

The  original  Act  of  Assembly  approved  June  14,  1911,  provided 
that  the  Commission  should  continue  operations  for  a period  of  three 
years  from  the  date  of  the  approval  of  the  Act.  This  period  would 
have  expired  by  limitation,  June  14,  1914.  To  continue  the  Act 
in  force,  and  to  provide  for  a Commission  to  take  up  the  work  at 
any  time,  should  it  be  thought  in  the  future  desirable  to  do  so,  the 
original  Act  of  Assembly  was  amended  by  extending  the  term  of 
the  original  Commission  to  a period  of  five  years  from  the  date  of 
their  appointment,  and  to  continue  thereafter  for  so  long,  as  in  the 
judgment  of  the  Governor,  it  might  be  necessary  to  have  work  done 
in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  law.  This  makes  the  Commission 
a continuing  one  to  be  revived  at  the  pleasure  of  the  Governor.  Sec- 
tion one,  of  foregoing  Act,  as  amended*  by  the  1913  Legislature, 
reads  as  follows : 

“Section  1.  Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  a commission,  to  consist 
of  five  members,  to  be  appointed  and  commissioned  by  the  Governor 
for  a pei’iod  of  five  years  from  the  date  of  their  appointment,  and  to 
continue  thereafter  for  such  period  as,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
Governor,  may  be  necessary  to  enable  them  to  complete  the  work  to 
be  done  under  this  Act,  and  to  be  called  The  Commission  for  the  In- 
vestigation and  Control  of  the  Chestnut-Tree  Blight  Disease  in  Penn- 
sylvania, is  hereby  created ; with  power  to  ascertain,  determine  upon 
and  adopt  the  most  efficient  and  practical  means  for  the  prevention, 
control,  and  eradication  of  a disease  of  the  chestnut  tree,  commonly 
known  as  the  chestnut-tree  blight  disease;  and  for  this  purpose,  in 
collaboration  with  the  Department  of  Forestry,  or  otherwise,  to 
conduct  scientific  investigations  into  the  nature  and  causes  of  such 
disease  and  the  means  of  preventing  its  introduction,  continuance, 
and  spread;  to  establish,  regulate,  maintain,  and  enforce  quarantine 
against  the  introduction  and  spread  of  such  disease;  and.  from  time 
to  time,  to  adopt  and  prescribe  such  regulations  and  methods  of  pro- 
cedure as  to  it  may  seem  necessary  and  proper  for  carrying  into 
effect  the  purpose  of  this  Act,  and  exercising  the  powers  and  au- 
thority hereby  conferred:  Provided,  That  in  the  work  of  collabo- 

ration by  the  Commission  with  the  Department  of  Forestry,  said 
Department  may  employ  such  means,  and  make  detail  of  such  men. 
and  do  such  other  things,  as  may  seem  to  be  necessary  or  expedient 
to  accomplish  the  purpose  of  this  Act.  Provided  further.  That  if 
the  fungus  causing  the  aforesaid  disease  be  found  to  attack  other 
species  of  trees,  such  trees  shall  be  deemed  to  come  within  the  pur- 
view of  this  act.” 


*See  P.  Tu.  1913,  p.  313. 


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l ' V > 


Peeled  chestnut  stump  buried,  showing  sprouts. 


Bibliography 
of  the 

Chestnut  Bark  Disease 

By  R.  KENT  BEATTIE,  FOREST  PATHOLOGIST, 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 


(95) 


(96) 


A BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  CHESTNUT  BARK 

DISEASE.* 


Prepared  for  the  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission. 


By  R.  KENT  BEATTIE,  Forest  Pathologist , 

BUREAU  OF  PLANT  INDUSTRY,  UNITED  STATES  DEPARTMENT 
OF  AGRICULTURE. 


DECEMBER  31,  1913. 


The  rapid  rise  and  spread  of  the  Chestnut  Bark  Disease  since  its 
introduction  into  the  United  States  from  the  Orient,  probably  in 
the  nineties,  has  called  it  to  the  attention  both  of  scientific  men 
and  the  general  public.  The  result  of  this  almost  universal  notice 
in  the  eastern  states  has  been  the  production  of  numerous  articles 
written  from  many  different  standpoints. 

It  has  been  the  effort  in  this  bibliography  to  cite  all  the  writings 
of  a scientific  or  semi-scientific  nature,  with  the  aim  of  making  a 
good  working  bibliography  of  the  disease.  Since  it  is  manifestly 
impossible  for  any  such  bibliography  to  be  complete,  the  author 
will  be  glad  to  have  called  to  his  attention  any  omissions  or  any 
corrections  in  the  citations  here  given. 

Because  of  their  importance  in  the  chestnut  bark  disease  problem, 
references  to  Endotliia  radicalis  and  Endotliia  gyrosa  as  well  as 
those  to  Endotliia  parasitica  have  been  included  in  this  bibliography. 

1.  Anderson,  H.  W.  Rotes  on  the  genus  Endotliia.  Phytopath- 

ology. Vol.  3,  p.  67.  February,  1913. 

2.  Anderson,  P.  J.  Field  Investigations  in  Pathology.  Report 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission,  July  1 

to  December  31,  1912.  p.  4245.  1913. 

3.  Anderson,  Paul  J.  Wind  Dissemination  of  the  Chestnut 

Blight  Organism.  Phytopathology.  Yol.  3,  p.  68.  Feb- 
ruary, 1913. 

4.  Anderson,  Paul  J.  and  Anderson,  H.  W.  The  Chestnut  Blight 

Fungus  and  a Related  Saprophyte.  Phytopathology. 

Vol.  2,  p.  204-210.  October,  1912. 

5.  Anderson,  Paul  J.  and  Anderson,  H.  W.  Endotliia  virginiana. 

Phytopathology.  Vol.  2,  p.  261-262.  December,  1912. 


♦Published  by  permission  of  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture. 

(97) 


98 


6.  Anderson,  P.  J.  and  Anderson,  H.  W.  The  Chestnut  Blight 

Fungus  and  a Belated  Saprophyte.  Pennsylvania 
Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission.  Bulletin  No.  4.  Oc- 
tober, 1913. 

6a.  Anonymous.  Disease  of  Chestnut.  Forestry  Quarterly.  Vol. 
4,  p.  320.  December,  1906. 

7.  Anonymous.  A Disease  of  the  Chestnut.  Woodland  and 

Boadside.  Vol.  6,  p.  31-32.  June,  1907. 

8.  Anonymous.  A New  Tree  Disease.  The  Outlook.  Vol.  88, 

p.  621.  21  March,  1908. 

9.  Anonymous.  Destruction  of  Chestnut  Forests.  The  Minne- 

sota Forester.  Vol.  1,  No.  3,  p.  31-32.  March,  1908. 

10.  Anonymous.  Are  Chestnut  Trees  Doomed?  American  Fruits. 

Vol.  8,  p.  5.  June,  1908. 

11.  Anonymous.  Editorial.  Engineering  News.  Vol.  60,  p.  339. 

24  September,  1908. 

12.  Anonymous.  Fighting  the  Chestnut  Blight.  Country  Life 

in  America.  Vol.  15,  p.  88.  November,  1908. 

13.  Anonymous.  Hope  for  the  Chestnut.  Country  Life  in 

America.  Vol.  15,  p.  171.  December,  1908. 

14.  Anonymous.  News  and  Notes.  Mycologia.  Vol.  1,  p.  136. 

January,  1909. 

15.  Anonymous.  [The  Chestnut  Tree  Canker.]  Torreya.  Vol. 

9,  p.  214-215.  October,  1909. 

16.  Anonymous.  The  New  Pine  and  Chestnut  Diseases.  "Wood- 

land and  Boadside.  Vol.  8,  p.  41.  November,  1909. 

17.  Anonymous.  Tree  Diseases.  Fourth  Annual  Beport  Commis- 

sioner of  Forestry,  Bhode  Island,  p.  9-10.  1910. 

18.  Anonymous.  [No  title.]  Torreya.  Vol.  10,  p.  99.  April, 

1910. 

19.  Anonymous.  News  and  Notes.  Mycologia.  Vol.  2,  p.  251- 

252.  September,  1910. 

20.  Anonymous.  American  Forestry  Association,  Thirtieth  An- 

nual Meeting.  American  Forestry.  Vol.  17,  p.  99-111. 
February,  1911. 

21.  Anonymous.  Editorial  Appreciation  of  Pennsylvania’s  For- 

est Management.  Forest  Leaves.  Vol.  13,  p.  3.  Febru- 
ary, 1911. 

22.  Anonymous.  The  Doom  of  the  Chestnut  Tree.  Harper’s 

Weekly.  Vol.  55,  p.  15.  February,  1911. 

23.  Anonymous.  Chestnut  Blight.  Forestry  Quarterly.  Vol.  9, 

p.  353.  June,  1911. 

24.  Anonymous.  Pennsylvania  Forestry  Legislation  in  1911. 

Forest  Leaves.  Vol.  13,  p.  50-51.  August,  1911. 


99 


25.  Anonymous.  [Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Blight  Commission.] 

Forestry  Quarterly.  Vol.  9,  p.  518-519.  September,  1911. 

26.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Bark  Disease.  American  For- 

estry. Vol.  17,  p.  693.  November,  1911. 

27.  Anonymous.  Narrative  of  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Penn- 

sylvania Forestry  Association.  Forest  Leaves.  Vol.  13, 
p.  83.  December,  1911. 

28.  Anonymous.  [Work  of  the  Pennsylvania  Commission.]  For- 

estry Quarterly.  Vol.  9,  p.  651.  December,  1911. 

29.  Anonymous.  An  Attempt  to  Suppress  the  Chestnut  Blight. 

Society  for  the  Protection  of  New  Hampshire  Forests. 
Eleventh  Report,  p.  5,  19-20.  1912. 

30.  Anonymous.  Quaker  City  News.  American  Lumberman.  No. 

1912.  p.  68.  6 January,  1912. 

31.  Anonymous.  Proposed  Forestry  Legislative  Procedure  in  the 

Empire  State.  American  Lumberman.  No.  1913.  p.  65. 
13  January,  1912. 

32.  Anonymous.  Chestnut  Bark  Disease.  Report  Maryland 

State  Board  of  Forestry,  1910-1911.  p.  6,  8,  18-21,  30. 
January,  1912. 

33.  Anonymous.  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Conference.  Forest 

Leaves.  Yol.  13,  p.  97,  98.  February,  1912. 

34.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission.  Ameri- 

can Forestry.  Vol.  18,  p.  136.  February,  1912. 

35.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Bark  Disease.  Scientific  Ameri- 

can. Vol.  106,  p.  105.  3 February,  1912. 

36.  Anonymous.  Fighting  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight.  American 

Lumberman.  No.  1917.  p.  43.  10  February,  1912. 

37.  Anonymous.  Resolutions  passed  at  the  Conference  Called  by 

the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  at  Harrisburg,  February 
20  and  21,  for  the  consideration  of  the  measures  to  be 
taken  to  control  the  chestnut  tree  bark  disease.  Report 
Second  Annual  Meeting,  Northern  Nut  Growers’  Asso- 
ciation, December  14  and  15,  1911.  p.  122-123.  1912. 

38.  Anonymous.  Conference  of  States  on  Chestnut  Tree  Blight. 

The  Southern  Lumberman.  Vol.  65,  No.  857.  p.  33-34.  24 
February,  1912. 

39.  Anonymous.  Conference  on  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight.  Ameri- 

can Lumberman.  No.  1919.  p.  73-75.  24  February,  1912. 

40.  Anonymous.  Harrisburg  Chestnut  Blight  Conference.  The 

Southern  Lumberman.  Vol.  65,  No.  859,  p.  24.  9 March, 
1912. 

41.  Anonymous.  Cure  for  the  Chestnut  Blight.  The  Southern 

Lumberman.  Vol.  65,  No.  859,  p.  46.  9 March,  1912. 


100 


42.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Tree  Blight.  Scientific  Ameri- 

can. Vol.  106,  p.  241-242.  16  March,  1912. 

43.  Anonymous.  Three  Enemies  of  Forests.  The  Southern  Lum- 

berman. Vol.  65,  No.  860,  p.  37.  16  March,  1912. 

44.  Anonymous.  At  Work  in  Pennsylvania.  The  Southern  Lum- 

berman. Vol.  65,  No.  862,  p.  27.  30  March,  1912. 

45.  Anonymous.  Forestry  Problems  of  Three  Sections.  Ameri- 

can Lumberman.  No.  1926,  p.  51.  13  April,  1912. 

46.  Anonymous.  Lumbermen  and  Forestry.  American  Forestry. 

Vol.  18,  p.  285.  April,  1912. 

47.  Anonymous.  Resolutions  of  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Conference. 

Forest  Leaves.  Vol.  13,  p.  116.  April,  1912. 

48.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Trees  Must  Go.  The  Guide  to 

Nature.  Vol.  4,  p.  395-397.  April,  1912. 

49.  Anonymous.  [The  Harrisburg  Conference.]  Phytopathology. 

Vol.  2,  p.  91.  April,  1912. 

50.  Anonymous.  Chestnut  Blight  in  Massachusetts.  Country 

Life  in  America.  Vol.  22,  p.  92,  94.  1 May,  1912. 

51.  Anonymous.  [News  Notes  and  Map.]  American  Forestry. 

Vol.  18,  p.  335,  342,  347,  350.  May,  1912. 

52.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Trees  Going.  American  Forestry. 

Vol.  19,  p.  457.  July,  1912. 

53.  Anonymous.  Chestnut  Blight  Warning.  American  Forestry. 

Vol.  18,  p.  473.  July,  1912. 

54.  Anonymous.  Boy  Scouts  Aiding.  American  Forestry.  Vol. 

18,  p.  541.  August,  1912. 

55.  Anonymous.  Boy  Scouts  to  Save  Trees.  American  Forestry. 

Vol.  18,  p.  542.  August,  1912. 

56.  Anonymous.  Narrative  of  Bushkill  Meeting  of  the  Pennsyl- 

vania Forestry  Association.  Forest  Leaves.  Vol.  13,  p. 
146.  August,  1912. 

57.  Anonymous.  The  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Blight  Conference, 

Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania.  Forest  Leaves.  Vol.  13,  p. 
158.  August,  1912. 

58.  Anonymous.  Progress  in  Fighting  the  Chestnut  Disease. 

Hardwood  Record.  Vol.  34,  p.  23.  10  September,  1912. 

59.  Anonymous.  News  Note.  Science.  N.  S.  Vol.  36,  p.  429.  4 

October,  1912. 

60.  Anonymous.  The  Scientific  and  Operative  Staff  of  the  Penn- 

sylvania Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission.  Science. 
N.  S.  Vol.  36,  p.  512.  18  October,  1912. 

60a.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Blight  Disease.  Pennsylvania 
Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission.  Bulletin  1.  October. 
1912. 


101 


61.  Anonymous.  Treatment  of  Ornamental  Chestnut  Trees  Af- 

fected with  the  Blight  Disease.  Pennsylvania  Chestnut 
Tree  Blight  Commission.  Bulletin  2.  October,  1912. 

62.  Anonymous.  [News  Note.]  American  Forestry.  Vol.  18,  p. 

811.  December,  1912. 

63.  Anonymous.  Chestnut  Blight.  Forestry  Quarterly.  Yol.  10, 

p.  742-743.  December,  1912. 

64.  Anonymous.  News  and  Notes.  Forestry  Quarterly.  Vol.  10, 

p.  772.  December,  1912. 

65.  Anonymous.  Phytopathological  Notes.  Vol.  2,  p.  274.  De- 

cember, 1912. 

66.  Anonymous.  Narrative  of  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Penn- 

sylvania Forestry  Association.  Forest  Leaves.  Vol.  13, 
p.  178-179.  December,  1912. 

67.  Anonymous.  Pennsylvania  Forestry  Association.  American 

Forestry.  Vol.  19,  p.  21.  January,  1913. 

68.  Anonymous.  State  News,  Pennsylvania.  American  Forestry. 

Vol.  19,  p.  55.  January,  1913. 

69.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Bark  Disease.  Journal  of  the 

Board  of  Agriculture  (London).  Vol.  19,  p.  848-850. 
January,  1913. 

70.  Anonymous.  Governor  Tener  on  Forestry.  Forest  Leaves. 

Vol.  14,  p.  2.  February,  1913. 

71.  Anonymous.  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Bulletins.  Forest  Leaves. 

Vol.  14,  p.  11-12.  February,  1913. 

72.  Anonymous.  News  and  Notes.  Mvcologia.  Vol.  5,  p.  90. 

March,  1913. 

73.  Anonymous.  Use  of  Second  Growth  Chestnut.  Lumber  World 

Review.  Vol.  24,  No.  5,  p.  24.  10  March,  1913. 

74.  Anonymous.  Chestnut  Tree  Blight.  American  Lumberman. 

No.  1974,  p.  58-59.  15  March,  1913. 

75.  Anonymous.  A Remedy  for  Chestnut  Blight.  Hardwood 

Record.  Vol.  35,  p.  27.  25  March,  1913. 

76.  Anonymous.  Fighting  the  Chestnut  Bark  Disease.  The  Sci- 

entific American.  Vol.  108,  p.  314.  5 April,  1913. 

77.  Anonymous.  [No  title.]  Arnold  Arboretum,  Harvard  Uni- 

versity. Bulletin  of  Popular  Information.  No.  47.  26 

June,  1913) 

78.  Anonymous.  Using  Blight-Killed  Chestnut.  American  For- 

estry. Vol.  19,  p.  449.  July,  1913. 

79.  Anonymous.  The  Chestnut  Tree.  Methods  and  Specifications 

for  the  Utilization  of  Blighted  Chestnut.  Pennsylvania 
Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission.  Bulletin  6.  15  Au- 

gust, 1913. 


102 


80.  Anonymous.  Pennsylvania’s  Fight  Against  the  Chestnut 

Blight  is  Suspended.  American  Forestry.  Yol.  19,  p. 
556-558.  August,  1913. 

81.  Anonymous.  [No  title.]  Mycologia.  Yol.  5,  p.  280.  Sep- 

tember, 1913. 

82.  Anonymous.  [No  title.]  The  Outlook,  p.  237.  27  September, 

1913. 

83.  Anonymous.  [No  title.]  Forestry  quarterly.  Yol.  11,  p.  449- 

450.  September,  1913. 

84.  Anonymous.  Report  of  the  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Tree 

Blight  Commission.  Forest  Leaves.  Yol.  14,  p.  77.  Oc- 
tober, 1913. 

84a.  Anonymous.  Conquering  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight.  The  St. 

Louis  Lumberman.  Vol.  52,  No.  11,  p.  59.  1 December, 

1913. 

85.  Ashe,  W.  W.  Chestnut  in  Tennessee.  State  Geological  Sur- 

vey, Tennessee.  Bulletin  10,  part  B,  p.  11.  January, 
1911. 

86.  Baker,  H.  P.  The  Chestnut  Blight  and  the  Practice  of  For- 

estry in  Pennsylvania.  Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Blight 
Conference  Report,  p.  137-143.  1912. 

87.  Baker,  Hugh  P.  Blight  Commission  Instruction.  American 

Forestry.  Vol.  18,  p.  267.  1912. 

88.  Barney,  Chas.  T.  Report  of  the  Executive  Committee.  New 

York  Zoological  Society.  Tenth  Annual  Report.  1905.  p. 
40.  January,  1906. 

89.  Barsali,  Egidio.  Aggiunte  alia  Flora  Livornese.  Bulletino 

della  Societa  Botanico  Italiano.  Anno  1904,  p.  204.  Mag- 
giore,  1904. 

90.  Benson,  W.  M.  Chestnut  Blight  and  Its  Possible  Remedy. 

Pennsylvania  Chestnut  Blight  Conference  Report,  p. 
229-233.  1912. 

91.  Berlese,  A.  N.  and  Peglion.  Y.  Micromiceti  Toscani.  Nuovo 

Giornale  Botanico  Italiano.  Vol.  24,  fasc.  3,  p.  122. 
Luglio  1892. 

91a.  Berlese,  A.  N.,  Saccardo,  P.  A.,  and  Roumebuere,  C.  Contribu- 
tions ad  Floram  Myeologicam  Lusitaniae.  Revue 
Mycologique.  Yol.  11.  p.  117-124.  July  1SS9. 

92.  Besley,  F.  W.  Mutual  Forest  Interests  of  Pennsylvania  and 

Maryland.  Forest  Leaves.  Yol.  13,  p.  39-41.  June.  1912. 

93.  Bessev,  Charles  E.  Fighting  the  Chestnut  Blight.  Scieuce. 

N.  S.  Vol.  37,  p.  417.  14  March,  1913. 

94.  B[irkinbine],  J.  Editorial.  Forest  Leaves.  Yol.  13,  p.  33. 

June,  1911. 


103 


Forest  Leaves. 


Forest  Leaves. 


Editorial.  Forest  Leaves. 


Editorial.  Forest  Leaves. 


Yol.  13,  p.  49. 
Vol.  13,  p.  113. 
Vol.  13,  p.  130. 
Vol.  13,  p.  145. 


95.  B[irkinbine],  J.  Editorial. 

August,  1911. 

96.  B[irkinbine],  J.  Editorial. 

April,  1912. 

97.  B[irkinbine],  J. 

June,  1912. 

98.  B[irkinbine],  J. 

August,  1912. 

99.  B[itler],  F.  L.  The  Chestnut  Blight.  Forest  Leaves.  Vol. 

12,  p.  148-150.  August,  1910. 

100.  B[itler],  F.  L.  Narrative  of  the  State  College  Meeting  of  the 

Pennsylvania  Forestry  Association.  Forest  Leaves.  Vol. 

13,  p.  34-37.  June,  1911. 

101.  Bizzozero,  Giacomo.  Flora  Veneta  Crittogamica.  Part  1.  I 

Funghi.  p.  220-221.  18S5. 

102.  Briosi,  Farneti.  A Proposito  di  una  nota  dell  Dott.  Lionello 

Petri  sulla  Moria  dei  castagni  (Mai  dell’  Inchiostro). 
Atti  della  Reale  Accademia  dei  Lincei.  Series  V.  Rendi- 
conti  Classe  de  scienzi  fisiche,  matematiche  e naturali. 
Vol.  22,  ser.  5,  1 sem.  fasc.  6,  p.  361-366.  16  marzo,  1933. 

103.  Britton,  W.  E.  Twelfth  Report  of  the  State  Entomologist  of 

Connecticut.  Connecticut  Agricultural  Experiment  Sta- 
tion. Report  12,  p.  220.  1913. 

104.  Brooks,  A.  B.  Fungi  That  Injure  Bark.  West  Virginia  Geo- 

logical Survey.  Vol.  5,  p.  78-79.  1911. 

105.1  Brown,  Nelson  C.  Municipal  Forestry.  American  Forestry. 
Vol.  18,  p.  781.  December,  1912. 

106.  Brown,  Nelson  C.  Making  the  Most  of  a Bad  Situation.  The 
Country  Gentleman.  Vol.  78,  p.  289-290.  22  February, 

1913. 

106a.  Brunaud,  Paul.  Contributions  a la  Flore  Mycologique  de 
l’Ouest.  Annales  des  Sciences  naturelles,  La  Rochelle. 


p.  108.  1884. 

107.  Carleton,  M.  A.  Fighting  the  Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Disease 

in  Pennsylvania.  American  Fruit  and  Nut  Journal.  Vol. 
6,  p.  78-79.  September-October,  1912. 

108.  Carleton,  Mark  Alfred.  Report  of  the  General  Manager  for 

the  latter  half  of  the  year,  1912.  Report  Pennsylvania 
Chestnut  Tree  Blight  Commission,  July  1 to  December 
31,  1912.  p.  11-18.  1913. 

308a.  Cesati  and  De  Notaris.  Schema  Sferiaceae  Italianae.  p.  207, 
240.  1863. 


109.  Clinton,  G.  P.  Chestnut  Bark  Disease,  Diaporthe  parasitica 
Murrill.  Connecticut  Agricultural  Experiment  Station 
Report  1907.  p.  345-346.  May,  1908. 


104 


110.  Clinton,  G.  P.  The  Chestnut  Bark  Disease,  Diaporthe  parasi- 

tica Murrill.  Connecticut  Agricultural  Experiment  Sta- 
tion Report  1908.  p.  879-890.  July,  1909. 

111.  Clinton,  G.  P.  Chestnut  Bark  Disease.  Connecticut  Agricul- 

tural Experiment  Station  Report  1909-1910.  p.  716-717, 
725.  1910. 

112.  Clinton,  G.  P.  Some  Facts  and  Theories  Concerning  Chestnut 

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315a.  Sowerby,  James.  Sphaeria  fluens.  Coloured  Agures  of  Eng- 
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335.  Vincenz,  Freihernn  v.  Cesati.  Die  Pflanzenwelt  im  Gebiete 

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338.  Wells,  H.  E.  A Report  on  Scout  Work  on  the  North  Bench 

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339.  Wentling,  J.  P.  Report  of  Forester  in  Charge  of  Utilization. 

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340.  Whitnall,  C.  B.  The  Blight  on  Chestnut  Trees.  Conservation. 

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343.  Williams,  I.  C.  Additional  Facts  About  the  Chestnut  Blight. 

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346.  Wilson,  James.  Chestnut  Tree  Blight.  Letter  from  the  Sec- 

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347.  Winter,  Georg.  Die  Pilze.  Rabenhorst’s  Kryptogamen — 

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(122) 


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